The Anambra State Government has arraigned blogger and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and I News, Ejike Ofoegbu, popularly known as Experience, over alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime arising from reports published about Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his family.
The arraignment follows Ofoegbu’s recent public apology and unconditional retraction of a series of reports, which he admitted were fabricated.
Confirming the development in a post on X on Monday, the government accused Ofoegbu of publishing false reports intended to tarnish the reputation of Governor Soludo and his family.
The state government said the prosecution forms part of efforts to tackle cybercrime and hold individuals accountable for the deliberate spread of false information.
“Ejike Ofoegbu (Experience), the Owner and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and I News, who published fake news against Gov. Soludo’s family arrives in Magistrate Court Amawbia, as his criminal defamation and cybercrime offence case continues,” the statement reads.
Before his arraignment, Ofoegbu had admitted that several reports he published about Governor Soludo and his son, Ozonna, were false and fabricated to attract online traffic and generate financial gain.
In a statement titled “Public Apology and Full Retraction,” the publisher acknowledged that the reports were neither based on verified facts nor sourced from the governor, his family or any official representative.
“I publicly admit that the stories I published concerning Governor Soludo and his son were completely fake, false, fabricated, and untrue. They did not come from Governor Soludo, his son, his family, or any official representative.
“They were not based on any verified facts or credible source, and they should never have been presented as news,” he stated.