Titus Eleweke, Saturday, July 11, 2026
AWKA, Anambra – The hearing in the alleged cyberbullying and defamation case between human rights activist, Comrade Osita Obi, and the Catholic Diocese of Awka at Magistrate Court 4, Amawbia, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was again stalled on Friday following the absence of the presiding magistrate.
The latest development marks the fifth consecutive time the matter has failed to proceed since Obi was arraigned last year, raising concerns among lawyers and litigants over the repeated disruption of court proceedings.
The Catholic Diocese of Awka instituted the suit against Obi, accusing him of cyberbullying and defamation over posts allegedly published on his Facebook page.
After waiting for several hours for the court to commence sitting, parties to the case were informed that the magistrate would not be available. No official reason was given for the magistrate’s absence.
The repeated postponement reportedly took a toll on Obi’s health. The human rights activist, who had earlier rescheduled a planned medical appointment in order to attend the hearing, was forced to return to the hospital immediately after learning that the court would not sit.
Insideoutnews gathered that Obi’s health condition reportedly deteriorated shortly after the matter was postponed, prompting him to seek urgent medical attention.
Speaking to journalists before returning to the hospital, Obi expressed frustration over what he described as the persistent delay in the case.
He disclosed that he had visited the hospital earlier in the day before proceeding to court for the scheduled hearing.
According to him, the emotional, physical and financial strain caused by the repeated adjournments has become unbearable.
“This is the fifth consecutive time the court has failed to sit on this matter,” “The repeated delays are taking a heavy toll on me financially, emotionally and physically.”Obi lamented.
The case stems from allegations of cyberbullying and defamation filed by the Catholic Diocese of Awka over comments Obi allegedly made on Facebook.
In one of the posts, he reportedly described the diocese as “worse than Boko Haram” following the eviction of his wife’s business from a shop linked to the diocese and the subsequent exposure of her goods to rainfall.
Friday’s aborted sitting also drew widespread frustration from members of the legal profession and other court users. More than 30 lawyers and scores of litigants were seen leaving the court premises disappointed after waiting for hours without any proceedings.
Reacting to the latest postponement, Obi called for urgent reforms in the Anambra State Magistrates’ Court system.
He attributed part of the problem to inadequate infrastructure, noting that two or more magistrates currently share a courtroom and are compelled to alternate sitting days.
He urged the Anambra State Government, the Attorney-General, and the state judiciary to introduce an effective notification system through text messages, phone calls or WhatsApp to promptly inform litigants and lawyers whenever a court would not be sitting.
“It will save people the cost, time and stress of travelling from Abuja, Lagos, Asaba, Enugu and different parts of Anambra, only to discover that the court will not sit,” he said.
Several lawyers at the court also expressed dissatisfaction with the recurring non-sittings and last-minute adjournments, arguing that the situation continues to undermine the administration of justice and erode public confidence in the judiciary.
One lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, blamed the problem partly on inadequate judicial infrastructure.
“We have serious problems with our court system, especially infrastructure deficits. Instead of addressing them, they are building a new palace in Awka. Did we ask for that? It is a clear case of misplaced priority,” the lawyer said.
The lawyers renewed their call for improved court administration, better communication with litigants, and increased investment in judicial infrastructure to enhance the efficiency of magistrates’ courts across the state.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to August 6, 2026, for hearing.