The Enugu State Police Command has charged a 29-year-old woman, Mrs. Chisom Okonkwo, with criminal defamation and providing false information against her husband, Mr. Okonkwo Ozioma.
The charges stem from allegations made by Chisom in August 2024, accusing her husband of raping and defiling their two daughters, aged two and five.
Following her claims, Mr. Ozioma was arrested. However, medical examinations later confirmed that the children had not been defiled, contradicting the allegations.
According to police sources, the children admitted during the investigation that their father had never touched them and revealed that their mother had instructed them to lie about the abuse.
The eldest child reportedly refused to comply, and the younger ones corroborated her account. Based on these findings, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police directed that Chisom be charged to court.
The case, filed at the Enugu Magistrate Court and marked CHARGE NO: CM/861c/2025, includes two counts: defamation of character and giving false information to law enforcement.
The first charge accuses Chisom of publicly defaming her husband in August 2024 at Adoration Junction, Emene, Enugu, by falsely claiming he had defiled their daughters, exposing him to hatred, ridicule, and reputational damage.
This offense is punishable under Section 323 and 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
The second charge alleges that on October 27, 2025, at the State Intelligence Department (SID) in Enugu, Chisom knowingly provided false information to police detectives, leading to her husband’s arrest and detention.
The police argue that the false report misled officers into taking action they would not have pursued had the truth been known. This offense is punishable under Section 154(1)(a)&(b) of the same Criminal Code.
The case highlights the severe legal consequences of false accusations and the importance of due process in handling sensitive matters.