Journalist and
Newspaper Vendor Remanded in Prison Custody
On
January 28, Mr. Samuel Asowata, the Chairman, Editorial Board of ‘Fresh
Facts’ newspaper was ordered to be remanded in prison custody by a
Magistrate Court in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital in South-south
Nigeria following his arrest, detention, and arraignment for alleged
sedition. He was refused bail by the Magistrate on the grounds of the
seriousness of the offence for which Asowata was accused and the fact
that he is not from Akwa Ibom State
‘Fresh
Facts’ newspaper had on January 21, 2008 published a promotional item
titled, “Akpabio in N5.5bn Housing Scam?” and asked its readers to
expect details of the story in the next edition. This led to his arrest
and detention on January 26, 2008 at Garki Police station in Abuja,
Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. He was later flown to Uyo.
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Governor
Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State
Mr.
Bright Essien Ewoh, a newspaper distributor was earlier on arrested in
Uyo on January 24 for selling ‘Fresh Facts’. He was detained and
consequently arraigned on January 25 before an Uyo Magistrate Court, for
alleged sedition and conspiracy.
The prosecution, in this case, led by Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General
and Commissioner of Justice, Victor Iyanem, argued that the case was a
peculiar one and urged the court to remand Essien in prison custody. He
claimed that top government officials, including the governor, had
received death threats as a result of the story.
Iyanem told the court that the police claimed that the accused was
frustrating the arrest of others involved in the matter by claiming that
the address of the publishing house, as reflected in the newspaper, did
not exist.
Though Counsel to Mr. Ewoh, Alfred Edem, applied for bail, saying that
Ewoh had a constitutional right to get bail, the Judge denied him bail,
according to him, “due to the nature of the matter and because of the
need to prevent further damage”.
The presiding Judge, Mr. Nkwereuwem Obot, also granted the Akwa Ibom
State Government a consequential order restricting newspapers from
publishing the details of the contentious story.
On January 28, the Magistrate discharged and acquitted Mr. Ewoh while he
asked that Asewota be remanded in prison custody
Counsel
to Asowata, Mr. Alfred Edem, had told the court that the purported
offence of his client (sedition) was a bailable offence adding that
since there was a doubt as to whether his client committed the offence,
he should be granted bail But the lawyer to the Commissioner of Police,
Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Bassey Ekanem, opposed Edem‘s bail
application. He described the accused as a slippery fellow. Ekanem urged
the court to reject the bail application on the grounds that since
Asowata was not from the state, he could jump bail and disappear to
Burkina Faso or another African country.
Mr. Samuel Asowata was denied bail by the magistrate, Nkeruwem Obot who
ordered that he be remanded in prison custody till February 1 when the
bail application would be considered.
Speaking
with newsmen shortly before he was taken away by security agents,
Asowata said his organisation had enough facts to back up the
allegations in the publication on the State Governor, Chief Godswill
Akpabio.
Asowata
was released on January 29.
On
January 31, Mr. Victor Iyanem disclosed that the state government had
withdrawn the case against Asowata and ‘Fresh Facts’ following public
opinion and government’s concerns on the matter.
He said:
“What happened in the past few days was a demonstration of the human
side of government. The State government was angry over the publication
and took solace in the law. Based on public opinion and our concerns for
you [journalists], we have withdrawn the suits against both the ‘Events’
newspaper and ‘Fresh Facts’ newspapers. These cases have all been
settled out of court.
Mr.
Iyanem claimed government was not attacking journalists adding that both
government and the media were collaborators in the development of the
State. He assured journalists that no harm would come to them from
government while also cautioning them to embrace professionalism in the
execution of their duties. He however insisted that the law of sedition
has not been abrogated but that it exists and carries two years jail
term.
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