Citizen Agba Jalingo, publisher of CrossRiverWatch, an online newspaper in Cross River State, Southern Nigeria has been remanded in the Kuje Prison in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
CONVERSEER gathered that Jalingo was remanded on Monday, March 27, 2023, by Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Jalingo is being arraigned on a 3-count charge filed by Frank Ayade’s wife, Mrs Elizabeth Ayade. Frank Ayade is the brother to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State who in 2018 sued Jalingo for treasonable felony, terrorism, and the latter was remanded for several months at the Afokang Prison in Calabar, the state capital.
One of Mrs Ayade’s charges borders on cyberstalking, an offense punishable by Section 24 (1)b of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015
The other two are “annoyance, ill will and insult” as filed on suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/565/2022.
Jalingo on his part pleaded not guilty to the charges, which Ayade claimed was published on CrossRiverWatch.
However, Justice Abubakar denied Jalingo’s lawyers the opportunity to move a motion for bail. She later adjourned the application for bail to Thursday, March 30, 2023.
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Daniel Riwo who witnessed the trial said: “Today, in solidarity with Citizen Agba Jalingo, we were at the Federal High Court, Abuja where he was arraigned on a 3-count charge case instituted against him by Frank Ayade’s wife.
“Justice Zainab ordered that Agba be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till Thursday this week where his bail application will be heard while the trial will commence on the 31st of May 2023.
Reacting to the news, Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah, Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Cross River State, said: “Citizen Agba Jalingo is a cat with 9 lives. You’ll come out stronger because our prayers are always with you. This too shall pass”.
CONVERSEER further learned that during the arraignment, Jalingo was putting on a shirt with the transcription “We Retired A Tyrant”.
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