Popular Nigerian actress, Chioma Toplis has been remanded in Nigeria Correctional Centre, Afara, Umuahia for alleged falsehood against a businessman, Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu.
Toplis, aged 48, was remanded in the prison facility for allegedly using her Facebook page on May 28 and 31, 2022, to call the businessman alleged rapist and ritualist.
When the case, Inspector-General of Police vs Chioma Toplis was brought before a magistrate Court on Wednesday, the charge read, ” That you Chioma Toplis ‘f’ between May 28 and 31, 2021 while residing in Nigeria, and being under the Umuahia North Magisterial District and knowingly and maliciously published in your Facebook page “Chioma Toplis” the following: ” Ur rapist father invited his daughter in-law (now EX) to Nigeria and without his consent and slept with her.”
The charge continued, ” You equally called him a ritualist who used his last daughter as the sacrificial lamb of the family, hence she is perpetually sick and hidden in the house, a publication which you know to be false and intended to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, enmity, hatred, ill-will or needless anxiety to the person of Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu, the Chairman of Abia State traditional prime ministers’ council and community leader.”
The offence, according to the charge, is punishable under section 25(b) of cyber crime (prohibition and prevention Act 2015 as applicable in Abia State.
No plea was taken by the accused but the Magistrate, Idika Kalu ordered the case to be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for onward transfer of the matter to the High Court.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate Idika Kalu remanded the accused in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Centre, Afara Umuahia while the case marked 124/C was adjourned to April 14, 2022.
In his reaction after the adjournment, Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu demanded that the female actress must prove the allegations she made against him in the Facebook posts.
