ALLEGED CYBER-BULLYING: MAGISTRATE SEIZES PHONES OF TV JOURNALISTS COVERING TRIAL
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A Lagos Magistrate, Waliu Salami hearing the alleged felony trial of online journalist, Precious Eze, on Monday, confiscated the mobile phones of three broadcast journalists covering the alleged felony trial of online journalist, Precious Eze.
The court also admitted as exhibit the extra-judicial statement made by the first prosecution witness in the case.
Precious Eze Chukwunonsois charged with four counts of alleged conduct likely to cause breach of peace, provoking an offensive publication and conspiracy to commit felony at the Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court. The charges were brought pursuant to sections 411, 168(1)(d) as well as 57(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
This followed a complaint lodged with police authorities by businessman, Chris Odinaka Igwe over the defendant’s publications where it was alleged that Mr Igwe fired gunshots on a neighbour’s residence after he was said to have been attacked by a dog attack at the Victoria Garden City.
The defendant spent more than two weeks in detention before he was released on bail.
At the resumed hearing, police prosecutor Cyril Ejiofor complained about the presence of news cameramen in the court promises, which he said was a form of harassment to the police and the complainant. He also accused the journalists of recording the hearing with their phones. Despite the explanations from the affected journalists reporting for TVC News, News Central and Arise News that they were only taking notes with their devices, the court ordered them to surrender their phones to the court orderly for the time being or leave the courtroom.
At the continuation of trial, the prosecution’s first witness Moses Chibunna said during cross examination that he works in the IT department of the complainant’s company, Mainland Oil and Gas Ltd. He added that he first saw the post on a certain PreciousEze’sblog.com, before it evolved into newsplatformng.com in a bid for the report to go viral. The witness said he didn’t know if the complainant’s police orderly, was with him that day or fired any shots. But he went on to say that he was aware the defendant had published a rejoinder issued by Mr Igwe stating his own side of the controversy.
Further hearing is fixed for Sept. 13.
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