Few hours ago, Nigeria’s most widely read
newspaper, THE PUNCH, reported that a Lagos
Federal High court Judge ordered one of Nigeria’s
popular social media blogger/journalist, Chris
Kehinde Nwandu held without bail . The report states:
“Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in
Lagos has ordered the prison remand of one Chris Nwandu
for allegedly aiding a blogger, Seun Oloketuyi, who is facing
charges of defamation and cybercrime.” “Oloketuyi was on
August 25, 2015 arraigned on two counts for allegedly
publishing defamatory story on his blog,
www.naijahottestgist.com , against the Chief Executive
Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo.
Bloggers Seun Oloketuyi and Chris Kehinde Nwandu
He was accused of publishing on his blog that Okonkwo had
an extramarital affair with one Justina, a married woman
working in the Marketing Department of Fidelity Bank.
Oloketuyi was alleged to have added in the publication that
the affair between Okonkwo and Justina resulted in
Justina’s husband, Ben, sending her out.”
Mr Nwandu is currently in jail on the order of the judge, he
has not been tried and or found guilty of any crime. He has
been charged with being an accomplice to defamation.The
police accused him by alleging he is an accomplice to a
published story that brought Mr. Okonkwo to ridicule and
disrepute. But has Chris Kehinde Nwandu been tried and
found guilty or is Judge Yunusa bowing to loaded trucks of
money from the Fidelity Bank Boss?. If there is a libelous
intent, let Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo prove this beyond
reasonable doubts in the court of law that his character has
been defamed by the publication..
Let the court try this case openly rather than submitting its
jurisdiction to the "Money Power" of Okonkwo... A trial has
not taken place, yet this young appealing popular blogger is
being locked up for allegations or charges by the Police
prosecutor. This is a vicious attempt by the rich to suppress
the journalist, using state apparatus such as the judiciary
and the Police to intimidate Mr. Nwandu and perhaps,
social media bloggers and reporters. Reporters, bloggers
must collectively rise against this new stupid tactics to
threaten our rights to free speech. If Mr Okonkwo feels he
has been maligned maliciously, he should seek legal
remedy the right way and not buy his way through a
corrupt, dirty and tainted judicial system.
Fidelity Bank MD, Nnamdi Okonkow has teamed up
with a federal judge to send bloggers to jail over
alleged defamatory publications on the internet
Judge Yunusa‘s order to detain Nwandu contradicts the
legal position that you are innocent until proven guilty. Let
Mr. Nwandu have his day in court, not in prison. Justice
delayed is justice denied. Judge Yunusa, Set Chris Kehinde
Nwandu Free Now!!!.
Journalism is not a Crime
Source: AZUKA JEBOSE
Sahara reporters
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