Defamation: Court remands Kemi Olunloyo in Prison custody

A Port Harcourt Federal High Court on Thursday, Justice H.I.O Oshomar, again remanded Kemi Omolulu-Olunloyo, daughter of former Oyo State governor, in the Port Harcourt Maximum prison.

In remanding the defendant, the Judge, Justice H.I.O Oshomar, also struck out the three count charges preferred against Mr. Samuel Walson, another Port-based journalist, the publisher of Rivers Today, also defending himself on the same charge of deefarmation of character.

The two journalists who are currently standing trial for alleged cyber-crime and defamation against the General Overseer of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, were yesterday, re-arraigned before the Federal High Court shortly after they were earlier granted bail by Magistrate Alatuwo Elkanah Fubara to the tune of N200,000 each.

The defendants had reported that the General Overseer was alleged to be having an affair with a lady who he was showering gifts on.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. David Abuo, had moved an application to strike out the three count charges bordering on defamation and allow the one which borders on cyber-crime, which was against Olunloyo, relying on section 251 subsection 1, 2.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and her legal counsel, Mr Hilton Kobar, moved an oral application for bail relying on section 32 subsection 3 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

However, while opposing the oral application, the prosecution counsel argued the court was a court of record and all applications must come in form of motion or notice set out in an affidavit.

Justice Shobar, in his ruling, refused the bail application and advised the defense counsel to come by way of application or affidavit.

The judge, however, struck out the three count charges against Walson, and ordered that ordered accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to 10, 11 and 12th April, this year for hearing on the bail application and other applications pending before the court. The judge also ordered all witnesses to appear in court in all adjourned dates.