Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
The Police, on Monday, in Bayelsa State, arraigned a Journalist, Mr. Nengi Owei-Ilagha, in the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, in the state capital, for allegedly making defamatory posts against, Mr. Emmanuel Chiefson, on Facebook.
Chiefson is a member of the Police Community Relations Committee in Bayelsa.
Owei-Ilagha, an author and broadcast Journalist was a speech writer to two former governors of Bayelsa. He was also a former General Manager of the Bayelsa Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Commissioner of Police n the state, Mr. Ben Okolo, filed a three-count charge in the suit referenced FHC/YNG/88C/2022 before Justice Emmanuel Gakko.
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The defendant Owei-Ilagha, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His counsel, Mr. Godfrey Otiotio, moved an application for bail as the defendant who had earlier been granted administrative bail by the Police was ready to present himself for trial.
The Prosecuting Counsel, M.Y. Benabo, said that although he was not opposing the bail, the Court should stop the defendant from making comments on social media that could prejudice the outcome of the case.
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The Defence counsel, Otiotio, said that he would not make comments in the media that would amount to prejudice and would also advise his client against doing so.
Ruling on the bail application, the trial judge admitted the media practitioner to bail in the sum of N1 million and one surety, preferably the same surety on the administrative bail earlier granted by the Police.
The trial judge noted that the media has played and continues to play positive roles in society but stressed that it is unlawful for the media to preempt the outcome of cases before the judiciary.