DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER : Court Remands Apex Reporters Magazine Publisher , Prince Chukwudi Samuel Timothy In Kirikiri Prison
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A Magistrate Court in Lagos has remanded a 49 – Year Old Self- acclaimed Journalist , Prince Chukwudi Samuel Timothy ,in prison custody over alleged defamation of Character . The Accused Person who has been identified by his friends as an Ex – Photographer of a National Newspaper (Name Withheld) , was yesterday remanded at the Correctional Centre, Kirikiri town, Lagos, for allegedly blackmailing the Ezendigbo in Ijegun and Ijedodo kingdom, Eze Chika Nwokedi and Chief Sunny Akpaoyibo.
He was arraigned before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court on a three-count charge bordering on criminal defamation,where he pleaded not guilty.
During his arraignment,the prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, pleaded with the Court to give a date for hearing considering the not guilty plea of the accused,to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. K.A Ariyo, granted the Accused bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
The Court also ordered that one of the sureties must be his blood relation and his address must be verified.
The matter was adjourned till 14th April, 2023, for mention while he was remanded in custody pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.
The Accused Person was arrested by the Police at Isheri Oshun Division ,under the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday, following petitions written by Eze Nwokedi and Chief Akpaoyibo.
The Petitioners had alleged that the Accused Person demanded certain amount of money from them through a text message and when they did not give him, he went on the social media and alleged Eze Nwokedi was a fake king and Akpaoyibo was a ritualist.
Outside the Court, his accusers claimed that the accused person have been living a fake life ,whereby he specializes in dropping names of senior Police officers and VIPs to allegedly blackmail and extort money from members of the public.
Eze Chika Nwokedi, said he was aggrieved by lies the accused person circulated against him, especially his attempt to cause disaffection between him and his host community Oba, despite being a recipient of his benevolence and magnanimity over the years.
