Court sentences journalists to 5 months imprisonment over libelous publication
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”.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Solomon Edojah Wahab Kunle Shittu Ibrahim Abduquadri Abikan Binta Abubakar Mora Rotimi Atere Gbemisola Saraki Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye Kayode Ibrahim Habeeb Saidu Saheed Alakoso Millennium Development Goals Quarry Royal Valley Folashade Omoniyi General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin N-Power Ubandoma Farouk Salim Moses Rahman Popoola Abdulkadir Jimoh Eleyele Amosa Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade Ayoade Akinnibosun IQRA College Saidu Isa Ilorin Central Mosque Salake Congress For National Consensus Agboola Babatunde Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem Olokoba Timothy Akangbe Taofik Mustapha Apaokagi National Union Of Road Transport Workers Bayo Ajia Eghe Igbinehi Omoniyi Ayinla Tunji Folami TESCOM Mohammed Alabi Lawal Jumoke Gafar Mohammed Katsina Ahmed Saka Isau Kwara State Football Association Ijagbo Health Centre Royal FM Abatemi-Usman ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited Malete Adebayo Salami Edret Sabi Abel Bashir Badawi A.E. Afolabi Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement Lukman Adeloyin Yakub Ali-Agan Olofa Of Offa Musibau Akanji Tinubu Legacy Forum GAMA Abraham Ojo Olatunde Jare Student Learning Support Helpline Sarah Jubril Siraj Oyewale Chemiroy Nigeria Limited Kwara University Of Education Bayo Lawal Quareeb Islamic Association Femi Gbajabiamila Adisa Logun Haruna Tambiri Mohammed Danladi Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation Lai Mohammed Saka Abimbola Isau

