A Niger State Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded a Minna- based social media activist, Comrade Ibrahim Akibu Jafa’ar, at the Minna Custodial Centre for a Facebook post alleged to contain injurious publication against the State Judiciary.
Ja’afar in a post which he made under the Facebook name of Ibrahim Akibu Ja’afar, alleged some corrupt practice in the appointment of a certain female Magistrate to a High Court Judge, the Nation reports.
Ja’afar was arraigned on Tuesday on four- count charges which border on defamation, injurious, falsehood, the printing of aggravating the matter known to be defamatory and inciting disturbance.
The activist wrote “Of recent, a certain Magistrate Judge has been promoted to a High Court Judge with claims by some quarters that such person cannot compose good sentence when addressing counsels or the court.
“In fact, the said Judge did not even meet the minimum requirement of six judgments but was favorably packaged and presented to the NJC for approval as High Court Judge.
“While some quarters claim that some N5 million exchanged hands to make it possible. These and many more should not be allowed to happen, if not we will pay the repercussions at a later day. Because, where biased judgments are been dispense there is every tendency of chaos and tension.
“In fact, we are already feeling the pain of such actions, because there are claims that about 4 High Court Judges in the state are under probation or something of sort by the NJC. One will want to ask, how then do we expect to have qualified judges that can move to appeal court and up to Supreme Court?
“We should not allow this revered profession of high standards and repute to be dragged to the murky waters of nepotism and corruption. Enough is Enough, Niger State must checkmate some this excesses and allow the system to flourish efficiently without causing unnecessary tension. Thank you.”
The First Information Report (FIR) stated that the four-count charges contravene Section 392, 393, 394 and 114 of the Penal Code Law.
When the four-count charges were read to him by the Presiding Senior Magistrate, Mrs. Halimat Mohammed, the accused person pleaded not guilty.
The Defendant Counsel Barrister Drisu Ajodo, made an oral application requesting for his bail adding that all the four charges brought against the accused are bailable.
But the Prosecutor, Inspector Thomas Amos asked the court not to grant him bail stating that since the investigation is ongoing, the accused may tamper with police investigation.
The Presiding Senior Magistrate Halimat Mohammed then ordered for his remand in Minna Custodial Centre and adjourned the matter for filling on bail.
