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Two Journalists Charged With False
Reporting, Remanded in Prison Custody
On 23 December 2005, two
journalists with a privately-owned radio station, Rhythm 93.7 FM, in Port
Harcourt, capital of Rivers State in the Niger Delta region, were
arraigned before a Port Harcourt High Court on charges of broadcasting
false information and ordered remanded in prison custody until 3 January
2006.
The journalists, Klem Ofuokwu,
a reporter, and Cleopatra Tawo, a news presenter, were reportedly arrested
by agents of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria's intelligence
service, on 19 December and detained since then over a report aired on the
radio station on 17 December claiming that the Choba Bridge on the
outskirts of the city had collapsed and trapped seven vehicles. The report
which was aired apparently based on telephone calls from unnamed sources
later proved to be incorrect.
Following the report, armed
policemen and SSS agents shut down the radio station on 17 December and
arrested David Obi, head of News, and Loknan Dombim, programmes manager of
the station, both of whom were detained overnight and released the next
day. The station was also re-opened hours later, but Ofuokwu and Tawo
were subsequently arrested.
Although the management of
Rhythm 93.7 initially denied airing the report, Roy Murray-Bruce,
President of Silverbird Communications, owners of the radio station,
apologized to the Police and the Rivers State government on 19 December
over the story.
In a statement in Lagos,
Murray-Bruce said after a thorough in-house investigation, it was
discovered that his station actually aired the controversial story and
that the station was misled by its staff. He assured the Police and the
Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili, that those responsible would be
punished.
Obviously dissatisfied with the
station's retraction, apology and promise of disciplinary action against
the staff responsible, the State government decided to initiate criminal
proceedings against the two journalists for alleged false reporting.
After their arraignment, the
court refused them bail and ordered that they should be remanded in prison
custody until 3 January 2006 when further proceedings will continue.
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