By Ahmed Ajikobi
The revenue court in Ilorin, will on Monday be sitting over the case between Mandate International Publications Nigeria Limited, Publishers,of National Pilot Newspapers and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s Aide on New Media, Mr Olayinka Fafoluyi.
The governor’s Aide had filed a direct criminal complaint against the medium and one of its reporters.
In the last sitting held in March 2024, the medium asked the court to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction.
The medium also asked the court to strike out the case lacking locus standi by the complainant.
The Managing Director of National Pilot Newspapers, Alhaji Billy Adedamola and reporter, Ahmed Ajikobi were arraigned before the revenue court in February 2024 following a direct criminal complaint levelled against them by the Governor’s aide, Fafoluyi.
Fafoluyi had in his direct complaint to the court, alleged “Offences of Criminal Conspiracy, Inciting Public Disturbance, Injurious Falshood, Criminal Defamation and Cyber Stalking, contrary to the Provisions of Section 97, 114, 393 and 392 of Penal Code Law and Section 27 and 24 of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition and Prevention ETC) Act 2015 “.
The petitioner had referred to the paper’s online publications of May 15 and October 16, 2023, as injurious to the governor of Kwara state, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and his family.
At the last hearing of the case on March 12, counsel to the 1st and 2nd respondents, Mohammed Abdullahi while arguing on a notice of preliminary objection filed before the court, dated 15th Janauary 2024, prayed “the court to refuse hearing the direct criminal complaint for being civil in nature by its contents and filed without due process “.
Abdullahi also prayed the court to decline “jurisdiction to entertain the case for lack of jurisdiction.
Corroborating the counsel’s submission, O.M Owonishola, who also appeared for Mandate publication, described paragraph 4.3 of the counter affidavit filed by the Governor’s aide as “misleading”as the case was not brought under relevant provision of the law.
The presiding judge, after listening to the submission of the counsels on the matter, adjourned the case to Monday April 15th for ruling on whether the court has jurisdiction to entertain the matter or not.
