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.

CACOVID Palliatives     Rueben Parejo     Okanlawon Musa     Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan     Vasolar Consultoria     Kale Belgore     Students Union Government     Ronke Adeyemi     Razaq Atunwa     Usman Alkali Baba     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Ilorin Central Mosque     Ajase-Ipo     Al-Ilory     Bareke     Idi-Ape     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Bilikis Oladimeji     Suleiman Abubakar     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Funmilayo Braithwaite     Moses Adekanye     Bello Bature     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Tayo Alao     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Elese Of Igbaja     Sheikh Hamzat Yusuf Ariyibi     ER-KANG Mining     Kwara-SAPZ Project     NIPOGA     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Face Masks     Okala Baba     Ile Arugbo     Babs Iwarere     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Osi     Kpotum Mohammed Baba     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     IESA     Suleman Abubakar     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Sulyman Tejidini     Sa\'ad Alanamu     Agboola Abdulraheem     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Quranic Recitation Competition     Mazars Consulting     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Markaz Arabic And Islamic Training Institute, Agege     Public Holiday     Mahmud Ajeigbe     Ishola Abdullahi     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Iyiola Oyedepo     Tafida Of Ilorin     Emir Of Kano     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Saidu Isa     Dauda Adesola     Crystal Corner Shops     COVID     TETFUND     Sa\'adu Salau     Asa     Tunji Oyawoye     A.E. Afolabi     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Benin Republic     Idris Amosa Saidu     Bola Tinubu    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

John Mayokun Dada     Kassim Babamale     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     March 18     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     AGILE Programme     Oko     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Fatimat Saliu     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Akeem Lawal     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu     Oniwa     Budo Egba     Maryam Nurudeen     NTA Ilorin     Omar Gambari     Okoolowo     Ibrahim Jawondo     Agor Market     Government High School (GHS), Adeta     MAI Akande     Paul Olawoore     Ilorin Like-Minds     Sheikh Alimi     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Khairat Gwadabe     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Sidikat Akaje     AbdulGafar Tosho     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Bello Oyedepo     2023 Elections     Oke-Odo     Saad Omo\'ya     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Sa\'adu Gambari     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Femtech     Jamiu Oyawoye     Iyiola Oyedepo     Dogara     Patigi Regatta     AbdulHamid Adi     Adeniyi Ojo     Saka Onimago     Azeez Salawu     James Kolo     Aliyu Umar     07039448763     Christopher Tunji Ayeni     Ilorin Muslim Community     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Playing Host     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Ilorin Amusement Park     Gambari     Makama Of Kaiama     Medview Airlines     Kwara State Pension Board     Kamoru Kadiri     Taofik Abdulkareem     Suleiman Abubakar     Yetunde Balogun     Mumeen Lah     Ahmed Idris Mohammed     Nigeria Computer Society     David Adesina     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Amos Sayo     Erubu     Sidikat Alaya     Abdullahi Samari