Actress Chioma Toplis remanded in Abia correctional center over ‘malicious’ Facebook post against Abia chief

A Magistrate Court in Umuahia, Abia state has ordered that Nollywood actress, Chioma Toplis, be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Afara over defamation.

Punch reports that Toplis was dragged before the court for allegedly using her Facebook page to post “a malicious publication” against the Chairman of Abia State Traditional Prime Ministers Council, High Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu, popularly known as BAWAS in which she described him as “a rapist and a ritualist”.

In the court document titled “Inspector General of Police vs Chioma Toplis ‘f’ aged 48”, the accused committed the alleged offence between May 28, 2021 and May 31, 2021.

The one-count read

“That you Chioma Toplis ‘f’ between the 28th and 31st of May, 2021, while residing in Nigeria, and being a social network user, 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 without his son’s consent and slept with her’.

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, inconveniences, 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, a renowned Community Leader and business mogul, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(b)of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015, as applicable in Abia State.”

During the hearing of the case today, there was no plea for bail after the charges was read and the trial Chief Magistrate, Idika Kalu, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Afara Correctional Centre, Umuahia.

The matter was adjourned till April 14, 2022.

Speaking with newsmen later, the plaintiff, Chief Akwukwuegbu, who identified the accused as his sister-in-law, expressed his worry on why she resorted to ”blackmailing” him.

He expressed no knowledge of all the allegations while insisting that she has to substantiate her claims.