Lagos, Friday, April 11, 2013: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned yesterday’s attack on journalists covering a criminal trial at the Abuja High Court by fraud suspects and their supporters in an on-going trial over the embezzlement of over N40 billion Police Pension Fund.
Reports said some supporters of one of the suspects in the trial, Mrs. Uzoma Attang, attacked journalists who were attempting to take photographs of the suspects as they stepped out of the court room and that one of her supporters manhandled and slapped Mr. Rotimi Osasona, a photojournalist with the National Mirror newspaper.
Another accused person, Mrs. Veronica Onyegbula, is also reported to have personally hit Mr. Desmond Kolawole, a cameraman with Galaxy Television, who was recording her on video while she was stepping out of the court and attempting to cover her face with an item of clothing.
Other photojournalists were also said to have been chased about in the court premises and assaulted while trying to take photographs of the accused persons who were being shielded from the press by their associates and supporters.
Condemning the incident, MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said such attacks on media professionals in the course of their legitimate duties amount to a grave violation of media freedom and the right to freedom of expression.
According to Mr. Ojo, “that these incidents took place in the premises of the court makes the situation even more egregious. No court should tolerate such flagrant contempt of its authority. We accordingly call on the Court to investigate the matter and hold the affected accused persons and their supporters who are found to be complicit in the attacks in contempt of the court.”
MRA also called on the relevant law enforcement agencies to prosecute the perpetrators, at a minimum, for breach of the peace and assault, saying unless such measures are taken, those who are charged with upholding and enforcing the Law would themselves be contributing to instituting a culture of impunity in the country.
For further information, please contact:
Ayode Longe
Programme Manager
Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Ikeja, Lagos
Tel: +234 1 7616803
Mobile: +234 802 329 8628
Email: ayode@mediarightsagenda.net
