Court sentences journalists to 5 months imprisonment over libelous publication

Date: 2023-03-31

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital has sentenced two journalists to five months imprisonment or a fine of 100,000 each.

The two journalists; Gidado Shuiab and Alfred Oluyemi were sentenced on two-count charge of conspiracy and defamation of character based on a petition filed by Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited, Amberi village in Kwara State.

The duo are Editor and Correspondent of News Digest, an online news medium.

Senior Magistrate A.S Muhammed stated that, the ruling on the case with file number MCIA/674C/2019 was in connection with his reflection on the provisions of Criminal Justice Law (2018), as well as section 417(2)d of the Kwara State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2018.

DAILY POST learnt on Thursday that the company wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State over alleged libelous publication tagged 'Kwara Factory where Indian hemp smoking is legalised' published on the 26th March 2018 by the two defendants.

The publication was described as malicious and character assassination aimed at denting the reputation of the company.

The Kwara State Police Command, through sergeant Ayodele, the police officer attached to the State Criminal Investigation and intelligence department (CIID) upon investigation, prosecuted the duo owing to their acknowledgement and admissibility of the publication with no substantial evidence.

Fernandez Raheem, the technical Assistant to the MD/CEO of the company while speaking with DAILY POST on Thursday noted that the company is not interested to witch hunt, harass or intimidate any person, group of persons but to clear the name of the company that it does not engage in illegal dealings.

He added that the court on the 7th February 2023, sentenced the duo.

He said, “This is not to witch hunt, harass or intimidate any person, group of persons

or entity.

“It was borne out of the desire to correct the malicious damage the said publication

has created, and for the sake of emphasis that Hillcrest does not, and will never engage in any Illegal venture, now, or in the nearest future”.

But, the counsel to the two journalists, Ibraheem Gambari when contacted on Thursday, added that the duo have the right to appeal the judgement.

He added that he has been studying the judgement.

He said, “The young journalists have the right of appeal and efforts are on top gear towards exercising that constitutional right.

“We are studying the judgement right now and will do the needful soonest.

“But for the delay in obtaining the Certified True Copy of the Judgement due to some administrative bottlenecks in the court's registry, the notice of appeal would have been filed by now. Our clients have robust confidence in the merit of the appeal. Especially when you consider two fundamental and unassailable points”.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Mary Arinde     Roseline Oni Aremu     Yahaya Dumoye     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     Mohammed Yisa     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Adijat Adebiyi     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Olayinka Olaogun     Abubakar Imam     Gamji Members Association     Wahab Agbaje     Tsaragi     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Ekiti     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Saka Keji     Rafiu Olasile     Kisira     Abdulhakeem Amao     Sabitiyu Grillo     Sulyman Buhari     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Ayo Adeyemi     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Abdulrazaq Magaji     Sayomi     MATTA Girls Foundation     Babatunde Idiagbon     Yahaya A Paniyaro     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Saliu Alamoyo     Halimat Yusuf     Asa     Okin Malt     CKNG     Baboko     Tunji Moronfoye     Lanre Issa Onilu     Mahmud Durosinlohun Atiku     CLAY POT     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     Okedare     Kayode Zubair     Isapa     National Information Technology Development Agency     Olanrewju Okanlawon Musa     Tinubu Legacy Forum     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     Elekoyangan     Aisha Ahman-Pategi     Salake     Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     Charcoal     Kwha.gov.ng     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     Patigi Regatta     NTA Ilorin     Gobir Organization Foundation     Oloye     Muhammed Abdullahi     Wale Oladepo     Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi     Basit Olatunji     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Hassan A. Saliu     Law School Scholarship     Ajibike Katibi     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Adebara     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Kaosarah Adeyi     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     UNILORIN Alumni     Local Government     Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa     Oke-Ero     Quran     LABTOP     Democracy Day     ARMTI     Olusola Saraki     Lawyers Unite Against Corruption     Oyedepo     Tricycle Owners Association Of Nigeria     United Nigeria Airline     Salman Jawondo     Oba Abdulrahim     Alore     Oko-Erin     Kwarareports.com     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Taofeek Ibraheem     Post-utme     Ilorin Muslim Community     Mubarak Oladosu     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Garba Idris Ajia     Kayode Ogunlowo     Azeez Salawu     Joshua Adeyemi Adimula     Yusuf Abubakar     Donatus Ejidike     Kabir Shagaya     Prince Bola Ajibola     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Wasiu Onidugbe     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     KWASSIP     Toyin Abdullahi     Moses Rahman Popoola     Emmanuel Bello     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Shehu Jimoh     Idris Garuba     Michael Nzwekwe     Moro     Wasiu Odewale     Adamu Atta     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Offa     Saeedat Aliyu     Ronke Adeyemi     Siraj Oyewale     Adekunle David Dunmade     Saka Saadu     Abdulkarim Adisa     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Nnazua     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Abdulsalam Firdaous Amosa     IF-K     Taofik Abdulkareem     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Gurei     Vasolar     Alabere     Abdulraufu Mustapha     Shehu Salau     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Isiaka Yusuf     Alimi     Sabi     Afonja Descendants Union     Yeketi