Journalist Agba Jalingo remanded again over alleged false publication

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered a journalist and publisher of an online news outlet, CrossRiverWatch, Mr Agba Jalingo, be remanded in prison custody over alleged false publication.

Justice Zainab Abubakar gave the order that Jalingo be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned on two counts by the police

The defendant was accused of publishing an article that disparaged Mrs Elizabeth Ayade, wife of the younger brother of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.

Jalingo, a frontline critic of Governor Ayade administration, was accused of false publication intended to cause ill will and insult to the person of Mrs Ayade.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge against him which is punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.

The prosecution counsel, Mr Fidelis Ogbobe, applied for a trial date.

Though the lawyer that announced the appearance of the defendant, Baba Isa, did not oppose the request for a trial date, he prayed for a short stand-down to enable the lead defence counsel in the matter, Marshal Abubakar, to arrive.

The application for a stand-down was opposed by the prosecution who alleged a plot to deliberately delay the case.

The trial judge upheld the position of the prosecution and refused the request.

Justice Abubakar subsequently fixed March 30 to hear the defendant’s bail application and slated May 32 for trial.

The court held that the defendant should remain in prison custody, pending the determination of his application for bail.

One of those present in court in solidarity with Jalingo is a social rights activist and candidate of the African Action Congress in the just held presidential election, Mr Omoyele Sowore.

The nominal complainant, Mrs Ayade, in 2022 asked Jalingo to retract an article which she considered offensive.

Jalingo had in the said article, queried why a suspended employee of the University of Calabar, Paschal Aboh, was facing trial for allegedly impersonating a student of the Nigerian Law School, Abuja campus identified as Mrs Ayade, while the person (Mrs Ayade) that allegedly contracted him, remained free

Irked by the article, Mrs. Ayade, through her lawyer, demanded a retraction and an apology to be published in two national dailies and social media platforms, as well as the payment of N500million to her as damages.

Following Mrs Ayade’s petition, Police arrested Jalingo and later released him on administrative bail.