- By Halimah Olamide
Popular Gospel singer and songwriter, Nathaniel Bassey, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, requesting an investigation and prosecution of four individuals for defamation and cyberstalking.
Bassey’s legal team, consisting Peter Abraham, Uche Matthew, Gbenga Agunloye, and Anthony Abia, submitted the petition on April 1, 2024.
The complaint stems from allegations circulating on social media that falsely claims the singer fathered the child of fellow gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo.
The accused individuals, identified as Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, Terrence Ekot, and Dj Spoiltkid, allegedly propagated defamatory content online, tarnishing Bassey’s reputation.
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Okoronkwo Ejike who was the architect of the rumor wrote;
“This Mercy Chinwo’s child she was hiding after giving birth, but the truth is that this baby looks exactly like singer Nathaniel Bassey. Nothing anybody wants to reason with me oh. This child is Nathaniel Bassey’s Baby. Maybe a secret away match occurred; otherwise, how can we make empirical sense of this.”
Reacting to the rumor, Ibeh commented, “The real father of the baby.”
DJSpoiltkid also quoted the comment saying, “When are we doing DNA test?”
In another post, Terrence Ekot, stated, “Take a look at the stunning resemblance of Mercy Chinwo’s son and Nathaniel Bassey. Though the duo has been working together on several projects, what do you have to say?”
The petition therefore asserts that such false claims not only damage Bassey’s character but also pose significant repercussions, violating Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
Bassey’s legal team emphasized the gravity of such malicious actions, which can irreparably harm an individual’s reputation and destabilize personal relationships.
“These nefarious acts of these suspects, if not immediately dealt with, will continue to destroy our client’s image, injure his reputation, assassinate his character, and cast aspersion on the good name built by our client over the years.
“The consequences of making such statements on social media have been known to tarnish the reputations of individuals, render marriages unstable, and many never recover from them. International reputation is an asset—both for the individual and the nation—and takes time to acquire.
“Consequently, we urge you to use your good offices to, in the interest of justice, investigate this matter, arrest, and bring the suspect to justice, which will serve as a deterrent to others.”