A 32-year-old resident of Osun state, Akinloye Saheed, has been remanded in correctional centre by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court in the state for allegedly posting false information on his Facebook page against the State Government,
Saheed, a very popular member of an opposition party in the state was arraigned on Tuesday before Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara by the Police.
The prosecution team led by Acting Solicitor General, Mr. Dapo Adeniji from the State Ministry of Justice informed the court that Saheed committed the offence on April 11th, 2020 in Osogbo.
Adeniji said the defendant accused the state government of importing COVID-19 patients as a ploy to access fund from the Federal Government.
The charge read: “That you Akinloye Saheed ‘m’ on 11 days of April 2020 at 11:05 pm at Osogbo did interfere with an executive order of the Osun State Government when you published on your Facebook page that “When I accused Osun Government of importing COVID-19 patients into the state just to access fund from the FG many didn’t believe. The said imported patients are now Negative. APC, You Are Not Doing Well.” The information you know to be false and an intent to incite members of the public against the Osun State Government”.
The prosecution argued that the offence committed by Saheed contravened section 61, 374, 59(1) of the Criminal code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002 and section 24 of the [Cyber Crime Prohibition Prevention, etc] Act, 2015.
But, Saheed pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge bordering on defamation, false information, instill fear and making inciting statement against the government slammed against him.
The counsel to the defendant, Mr. Bamidele Ajibade made an oral bail application for his client assuring the court that he won’t jump bail if granted.
He said, “Saheed was arrested by police and had been granted administrative bail. He had been going to police station ever since then. This is an attestation that if he is granted bail, he won’t jump bail.
“I urge the court to admit my client to bail on the most liberal term. He has reliable sureties to stand for him and he won’t jump bail.
The prosecutor, Dapo Adeniji opposed the oral bail application moved by the defence counsel, he prayed the court to remand the accused person in Correctional Centre.
He said, ” I urge the court to remand the accused person in prison custody for 30 days.
Magistrate Ayilara ordered that the accused person be remanded in Correctional Facility pending the time that the defence counsel will file the formal bail application of his client.
He adjourned the case till 13th May 2020.
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