Police arraign man, 42, for alleged defamation of character

January 30, 2017 8:39 PM

A 42-year-old man has been arraigned before an Abuja court for defamation of character.

Court gavel

The Police on Monday arraigned

The defendant, a 42-year-old resident of Zone E, Apo Resettlement, Abuja, was reported at the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station on Dec. 22, 2016.

The Prosecutor, Mr Adeniyi Oyeyemi told the court that the matter was reported to the police by one Mr Hassan Abubakar of the Supreme Court.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant wrote a false petition against the complainant to the Inspector General of Police alleging that the complainant is a “419’’ man, that he had been “playing people around’’.

Oyeyemi told the court that the defendant went ahead to write another petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just to ensure that he tarnished the image of the complainant.

According to Oyeyemi, an investigation by the police to find out if the complainant was really a 419 man as alleged by the defendant, shows that it is not true.

The prosecutor said that the crime of the defendant contravenes the provision of Section 392 of the Penal Code.

The defendant however denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Abdulmumini Omeiza granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250, 000 with one surety who must be a Federal Civil Servant not below GL 06.

The magistrate said that the surety must live within the court jurisdiction and must deposit to the court one of his recent passports.

Omeiza said that the surety must also show evidence of payment of utility bill to the court.

He adjourned the case to Feb. 21 for hearing.