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.

Ajike People Support Centre     Jimoh Akani     College Of Education     Olatinwo     Quarry Royal Valley     Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem     KWASSIP     Balikis Jawondo     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini     Sanitation Exercise     Buari Edun     Yakubu Gobir     Mustapha Olanipekun     CCB     Ilorin General Hospital     Musa Abdullahi     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Ahmad Belgore     National Association Of Nigerian Students     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Kayode Laro     Toyin Sanusi     Quran     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Sunday Otokiti     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Esuwoye     Oko-Erin     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Oyawoye     Kola Shittu     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     HYPPADEC     Ethical College     Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement     Ayo Salami     Quareeb     AbdulRazaq AbduMajeed Alaro     Minister     Kwarareports.com     Baaziki Sulaiman     Revenue Court     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Lanwa     Amos Bajeh     Dankaka     Kwara TV     Dunmade     Omotoso Musa     Goodluck Jonathan     Bola Sagaya     Amosa     Fatimoh Lawal     Shaaba Lafiagi     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Plat Technologies     Saliu Shola Taofeek     SWAN     Tsaragi     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Okanlawon Musa     Abubakar Ndakene     Abdulazeez Uthman     Toyosi Thomas     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     FOMWAN     SSA Youth     Babs Iwarere     Special Adviser On Digital Innovation     Adama Isa     Kwara Central     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Olabanji Orilonishe     Florence Saraki    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Muhammed Aliyu     Leke Ogungbe     Tanke Flyover Bridge     Garba Idris Ajia     Kwara Hotel     EndSARS     Ike Ekweremadu     Yeketi     Dele Momodu     Chief Imam Of Offa     Suwa-Arabs     Afeyin-Olukuta     Fatimoh Lawal     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     Abikan     Adeleke Ogungbe     N-Power     Osi     Basic Education Certificate Examination     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     Saka Abimbola Isau     Oloje     Orisa Bridge     Omotosho     Abubakar Imam     Sebastine Obasi     Umaru Saro     Al-Ilory     Sa\'adu Gambari     Federal Allocation     Bello Oyedepo     International Vocational Centre     Alanamu     Siraj Oyewale     Valsolar     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Emir Of Ilorin     Kale Belgore     AbdulGafar Tosho     Lola Ashiru     AGF Abdulrazaq     Toyin Sanusi     Joseph Daudu     Temitope Ogunbanke     Umar Adelodun     Mumeen Lah     Ola Falade     Oluwole Dupe     A.G.F Abdulrasaq     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     NULGE     Umar Ayinla Saro     Mohammed Lawal     Saka Saadu     Assayomo     Ajibike Katibi     Funmilayo Oniwa     Agboola Abdulraheem     Ishola Abdullahi     Amos Sayo     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Lafia Aliyu Korasabi     TETFUND     Mohammed Haruna     Labour Party     Shonga     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Suleiman Ajadi     Isiaka Danmeromu     Kunle Okeowo     Budo Egba     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Oke-Odo     The Herald     Olam Food Ingredients     Gbugbu International Market