By Ovat Abeng
A former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Mrs Anthonia Tabansi-Okoye and others have been arraigned before a Federal High Court 1 sitting in Awka, the Anambra State Capital for online defamation of characters of a community leader, Chief Osita Anadi and his wife, Chief Mrs Regina Anadi.
Other persons arraigned include, Okoye Vincent O. Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum.and others now at large.
The defendants who are standing trial over allegations of cyberbullying and defamation, were arraigned by the police in the case titled Inspector General of Police v. Anthonia Tabansi Okoye, Okoye Vincent O. Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum.and others still at large with the Suit No FHC/AWK/C/2025.
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According to the charges obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026, the defendants are facing four count charges, summarised as follows:
Count 1: “That you Anthonia Tabansi Okoye, Okoye Vincent O Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum and others now at large, sometime in the month of April, 2025 at Agu-Ukwu Nri, Anambra State with the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Awka did conspire to commit felony to wit: Cyber Stalking and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495(a) of the Criminal Code, ACT, Cap C. 38, 2004.
COUNT 11 “That you Anthonia Tabansi Okoye, Okoye Vincent O. Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum and others now at large, on the same date, place and within the aforementioned Judicial Division knowingly or intentionally with intent to causing annoyance and inconvenience danger by falsely posting and sharing a writeup on internet via Whatsapp and YouTube platform called “Aprokore Public Media Promotion”, in which you stated that one Osita Anadi ‘m’ will die and face the ground, the way they are holding the plantain ‘sucker” a representation you knew to be false and intentionally suspected Osita Anadi ‘m’ to hatred, anxiety, enmity and annoyance and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015,
COUNT 111 “That you Anthonia Tabansi Okoye, Okoye Vincent O Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum and others now at large on the same date, place and within the aforementioned Judicial Division did publish defamatory matter against Osita Anadi and Regina Anadi with intent to cause hatred, danger, insult, enmity, needless anxiety on her person and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 377 of the criminal code Act, Capital C 38, 2004.
COUNT IV; That you Anthonia Tabansi Okoye, Okoye Vincent O Onyegaegbochi, Victoria Ikegwuonwu, Joy Egotum and others now at large on the same day and within the aforementioned Judicial Division did place Osita Anadi ‘m’ and Regina Anadi ‘f’ in fear of physical injury with “Amulununo Women Wings of Agu-Ukwu Nri”, by threatening to kill them.
However, the case could not be heard for the first hearing on Monday due to the absence of the Judge, Justice E. N. Anyadike, consequent on the fact that his police orderly was deployed for election monitoring. Therefore, the matter was shifted to October 8th, 2026 to enable the availability of the Judge.
