The police authority, yesterday, arraigned Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in a charge of culpable homicide.
Meanwhile, she has been admitted to administrative bail by Justice Inyang Ekwo, after pleading not guilty to the alleged crime.
Elsewhere, another court presided by Justice Obiora Egwuatu has fixed March 10 for her arraignment in a libel suit filed against her by a former federal lawmaker, Senator Grace Bent.
In a charge number: FHCABJ/CR/1/2022 filed by the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), against Ms Chikwendu and three others, the ex-wife was said to have attempted to stab Fani-Kayode with a kitchen knife on November 24, 2018, at Asokoro, within the court jurisdiction.
Others arraigned alongside Precious include Emmanuel Anakan, Prisca Chikwendu, and Osakwe Azubuike as first, third and fourth defendants, respectively, while others are said to be at large.
In a 13-count charge dated and filed on January 7, the defendants were also alleged to have committed offences bordering on cybercrime, intimidation to kill Fani-Kayode by use of the internet, threat to kill one Lauretta, in order to cause her to leave her relationship with Fani-Kayode.
They were alleged to have criminally used the internet to send abusive messages with the intent to bully, defame and harass her ex-husband.
They were alleged to have fabricated false evidence by deposing to a series of affidavits that Chief Fani-Kayode physically and sexually assaulted members of his domestic staff in inhuman conduct by causing the same to be electronically published in a national daily.
Chikwendu was also alleged to have, through her Facebook page, referred to Fani-Kayode as “Mr. Short Fuse,” and that on December 7, 2021,
she was alleged to have published a false imputation against the ex-minister,
“by referring to him as a person who is sexually incapacitated and that he is not the biological father of the four children she had for him as a wife.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts, which are said to be punishable under Section 392 of the Penal Code, among others.
The prosecuting counsel, John Ijagbemi, who prayed the court for a date to commence trial, said seven witnesses would testify in the matter.
He said apart from the documentary evidence that would be tendered, electronic evidence had also been compiled to prosecute the case.
Alex Ejesieme, SAN, counsel to the ex-wife (second defendant), urged the court to admit the defendants to bail based on the earlier administrative bail granted them by the police.
“Did you give them administrative bail?” the judge asked.
“Yes, we did my lord, with two sureties,” Ijagbemi responded.
Justice Ekwo, who fixed April 27, April 28, and April 29 for trial commencement, ordered the defendants to continue on the terms of administrative bail earlier granted.
He directed the prosecution to submit all particulars of the defendants to the court registrar.
