Aphrodisiac seller, Hauwa Mohammed Saidu, popularly known as Jaruma has been remanded in prison custody after allegedly defaming billionaire politician and business tycoon, Ned Nwoko on social media.
Jaruma was sent to prison by an Abuja Upper Area Court pending a bail hearing set for Friday.
The popular Kayanmata dealer was arraigned by the police following a petition by Nwoko to the FCT police command.
Nwoko had accused Jaruma of publishing falsehoods on her Instagram page against him and his wife, Regina Daniels – a Nollywod star actress.
He said Jaruma claimed in an Instagram post that she paid N10 million to Regina to advertise kayanmata but the actress pulled out of the deal.
She subsequently went on Instagram to insult Nwoko, accusing him of benefitting from her product.
The police subsequently arraigned Jaruma for defamation of character, false news publication and intimidation.
The Police Prosecutor, E. A Inegbenoise, told the court that Nwoko had reported the matter through a written petition from his lawyer to the FCT Police Command for proper investigation on January 20, 2021.
Inegbenoise pleaded with the court to allow Jaruma to remain in police custody pending investigation.
However, her lawyer, Mr James Odibe, in an oral application for bail, urged the court to grant the defendant bail on self-recognition or in the alternative, in the most liberal terms.
In his ruling, the judge, Ismailia Abdullahi, ruled that the defendant be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre pending the bail hearing on Friday. He further adjourned the matter till February 23, 2021 for trial.
In an Instagram post on December 9, 2021, Jaruma made a video expressing her disappointment over the accusations Nwoko made against his ex-wife, Charani. She also stated that she was shocked that a 74-year-old man would speak ill of a woman in such a manner.
She claimed that Nwoko was being controlled by his actress wife, Regina, who uses her kayanmata product.