CHIEF LAWRENCE OHAERI CRIES OUT OVER ALLEGED FRAME-UP IN DEFILEMENT CASE, WARNS AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA TRIAL

By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu On Apr 20, 2026

A community leader, Chief Lawrence Ohaeri, has publicly raised alarm over what he described as a calculated and deliberate attempt to frame him in an alleged defilement case, urging the public to resist the growing trend of trial by social media and allow the court of law to determine the truth.

Speaking during an interaction with journalists, Chief Ohaeri expressed grave concern over what he termed a “coordinated smear campaign,” alleging that the family of the 12-year-old girl at the center of the controversy, including her grandmother, Mrs Adanma Silas Offor, and her son, Mr Ezenwa Offor of Umuohu Ndume, have been actively going to social media to circulate narratives aimed at tarnishing his image and influencing public opinion against him.

According to him, his decision to address the media was necessitated by the need to set the record straight and counter what he described as false, misleading, and emotionally charged claims already gaining traction online.

“I urge the family involved and members of the public to allow the judiciary to carry out its constitutional responsibility. Justice is best served in the court of law, not on social media platforms,” he stated.

Chief Ohaeri further accused the community chairman, Mr. Nduka Awomukwu, of persistent intimidation and harassment, alleging that the current allegation is not unconnected to a long-standing dispute over alleged unauthorized sales of community land—an issue he claimed to have consistently opposed.

Recounting how the matter began, he said the chairman had contacted him regarding an alleged defilement incident involving a minor.

He noted that he immediately requested full details, including the exact time, date, and circumstances of the alleged act.

He disclosed that the incident was said to have occurred on January 24, 2026, but was not reported to either the World Bank Police Station or the Central Police Station at the time. Instead, the matter reportedly resurfaced several days later, around February 4, 2026, before it was eventually escalated to the Zone 9 Police Command.

Questioning the credibility of the allegation, Chief Ohaeri pointed out that no medical report has been presented to substantiate the claim. He added that he honored all police invitations and was granted bail, citing what he described as a lack of sufficient evidence, while also alleging that his accusers failed to appear when invited by law enforcement authorities.

He further claimed that the father of the minor, identified as Mr. Ezenwa, initially showed reluctance to pursue the matter but later reversed his stance. According to him, the father allegedly confided that he was under pressure from the community chairman and a legal practitioner to push forward with the case.

Linking the development to the lingering land dispute, Chief Ohaeri alleged that Mr. Awomukwu had vowed to ensure his imprisonment, insisting that the accusation was fabricated as a means to silence him.

Maintaining his innocence, he stated that he was not at home on the day of the alleged incident but rather at a work site, and called on authorities to verify his whereabouts. He also questioned the plausibility of the claim that the incident occurred in his residence, citing the nature of the building structure and the presence of other occupants at the time.

He dismissed allegations of issuing threats, explaining that at the period in question, he was already in police custody and had no access to a mobile phone.

Chief Ohaeri further clarified that the court matter scheduled for April 23, 2026, is a separate case between him and the community chairman, Mr. Nduka Awomukwu, which he alleged has been deliberately prolonged due to ongoing attempts to frustrate justice and sway legal processes. He insisted that this separate case has contributed to what he described as sustained pressure and interference in the ongoing matter.

Chief Ohaeri confirmed that the defilement case itself is currently before a competent court.
Efforts to reach Mr. Nduka Awomukwu and other parties mentioned in the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The case has since heightened tension within the community, with residents expressing mixed reactions while many continue to call for calm, restraint, and respect for due process as the court prepares to hear the matter.