An Osun State Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Osogbo has remanded a 32-year-old man, Akinloye Saheed, for allegedly posting false information on the Facebook page against Osun State Government.
Saheed, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leader was arraigned on four-count charges bordering on defamation, false information, instilling fear and making an inciteful statement against the government.
The state’s Acting Solicitor General, Mr. Dapo Adeniji, led other lawyers for the prosecution.
According to the charge sheet Saheed allegedly committed the offence on April 11, 2020 in Osogbo.
The charge read: “That you Akinloye Saheed ‘m’ on 11th day 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 intent to incite members of the public against the Osun State Government”.
Adeniji stressed 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.
After the charges were read to him, Saheed pleaded not guilty.
The counsel to the defendant, Mr. Bamidele Ajibade, made an oral bail application for his client with the assurance that he won’t jump bail if granted.
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He said: “Saheed was arrested by police and had been granted administrative bail by police.
“He had been going to the 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 however, opposed the oral bail application, praying the court to remand the accused person in Correctional Centre.
He said: “I urged the court to remand the accused person in prison custody for 30 days.”
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Olusegun Ayilara, ordered that the accused person be remanded in Correctional Facility pending when the defence counsel will file the formal bail application for his client and adjourned the case to May 13, 2020.
