Court remands Jaruma in prison over Regina Daniels

ABUJA, Nigeria – Therapist and seller of aphrodisiac products, Hauwa Saidu Mohammed better known as Jaruma  has been remanded in the correctional facility in Suleja, Abuja.

Jaruma was on January 21 arrested by the FCT Police Command, following a petition by Delta State billionaire, Prince Ned Nwoko, following her social media confrontation with his latest wife, Regina Daniels. Jaruma had alleged in the social media that she paid Regina Daniels, N10 million to promote her aphrodisiac products, mainly for sex enhancement.  But that she pocketed the money but refused to  fulfill her side of the story.

Jaruma was charged for defamation of character, criminal intimidation, injurious falsehood and  publishing falsehood to incite the public to hate Prince Ned Nwoko.

Jaruma pleaded not guilty to the charges, when they were read to her.  The area judge,  Ismail Abdullahi subsequently remanded at Suleja Correctional centre, pending hearing of her bail application on Friday.  Justice  Ismail Abdullahi also  fixed February 23 for trial.

The Prosecution E. A Inegbenoise and Chinedu Ogada  had earlier  argued that the complaint, Prince Ned Nwoko reported the matter through a written petition from his lawyer to the FCT Police command for proper investigation on January 20, prompting arrest of the defendant.

He told the court that the defendant used various social media platforms, particularly through her instagram handle to publish falsehood against Nwoko and his wife, Princess Regina to members of the public. He averred that the defendant gave the false new in order to incite public hatred against Nwoko and his wife  to damage their reputation.

He told the court that that the defendant through her Instagram handle published that she gave N10 million to Princess Regina Daniels to advertise her ‘illicit’ product,  known as Kayanmata. The prosecution further alleged that the defendant published that the complainant and his wife criminally collected her money but failed to deliver the purported contract which he said never existed in the first place.

He alleged that the defendant used the said  product to corrupt public morality through social media advertisement and other unwholesome activities contrary to sections 392, 393, 397 and 418 of the Penal Code.

Defence counsel, James Odibe in an oral application for bail cited section 35, 36(5) of the 1999 constitution and section 305, 165(1) of ACJL Act 2015. He  told the court that the two parties  are celebrities and urged the court to grant the defendant bail on self-recognition or in the alternative  in the most liberal terms adding that the defendant will not jump bail and has been on administrative bail by police.