An Anambra State High Court in Nnewi has sentenced Boniface Okonkwo, a South African-based Nigerian activist, to 18 months imprisonment for defamation against Sir Emeka Offor, Chairman of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). Presiding over the case, Justice Vincent Agbata found Okonkwo guilty of defamatory statements made on the Oraifite community WhatsApp platform, where both men are members.
The controversial statement disparaged Offor’s meter manufacturing facility, calling it an “empty warehouse.” However, the judge offered Okonkwo the alternative of a N500,000 fine in place of imprisonment.
The charges were initiated following a complaint by Offor in January 2024, resulting in Okonkwo’s initial arrest. Evidence presented included a phone call linked to Okonkwo through Truecaller identification, suggesting his connection to the defamatory post. Justice Agbata concluded that the evidence substantiated the conviction.
Defense attorney S.I. Okonkwo voiced mixed sentiments, relieved about the fine option but disappointed with the verdict. He argued that the defamed entities were corporate bodies rather than Offor personally, and thus questioned the sufficiency of the prosecution’s case. The defense hinted at the possibility of contesting the ruling but appreciated the fine option provided by the court.