A former lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Peter Ekemezie has been sentenced to six months imprisonment for publishing defamatory statements against one Prof. Alex Asigbo.
Ekemezie, who was charged with three counts bordering on forgery and defamation, was however given an option of N300,000 fine.
While delivering the judgement at an Awka Magistrates’ court on Tuesday, E.C. Chukwu said he took into consideration the fact that the defendant had spent one month in a psychiatric home and four months in a Correctional Centre.
During the trial, Asigbo told the court that Ekemezie forged his signature when he refused to give him (Ekemezie) a witness statement but instead advised him to procure a subpoena.
Asigbo said this led to Ekemezie writing and publishing series of defamatory statements against him on Facebook and other social media platforms.
