The Nigeria Police Force has arraigned a journalist, Rotimi
Jolayemi, also known as Oba Akewi, before a Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja.
Jolayemi was arrested on May 6 over a poem, which was considered
critical of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed.
Before the journalist turned himself into the police, the
minister ordered the arrest of his wife, Mrs Dorcas Jolayemi, and
two of the media practitioner’s brothers, John and Joseph, who were
all locked up for eight, nine and two days respectively.
Police filed a one-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/104/2020
against the journalist on May 22, 16 days after he was
detained.
The offence, according to the police, was contrary to section
24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act
2015.
The charge sheet reads, “That you Jolayemi Oba Akewi ‘m’ aged 43
years on or another the 14th day of April, 2020 at Osola compound
Ekan nka, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honorable
Court did send a audio message through your android phone device to
a group WhatsApp platform known as “Ekan Sons and Daughters” and
which went viral immediately after it was posted for the purpose of
causing annoyance, insult, hatred and ill will go the current Hon.
Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Culture committed an offense contrary to
section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc)
Act 2015.”
The Nigeria Police Force has arraigned a journalist, Rotimi
Jolayemi, also known as Oba Akewi, before a Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja.
Jolayemi was arrested on May 6 over a poem, which was considered
critical of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed.
Before the journalist turned himself into the police, the
minister ordered the arrest of his wife, Mrs Dorcas Jolayemi, and
two of the media practitioner’s brothers, John and Joseph, who were
all locked up for eight, nine and two days respectively.
Police filed a one-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/104/2020
against the journalist on May 22, 16 days after he was
detained.
The offence, according to the police, was contrary to section
24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act
2015.
The charge sheet reads, “That you Jolayemi Oba Akewi ‘m’ aged 43
years on or another the 14th day of April, 2020 at Osola compound
Ekan nka, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honorable
Court did send a audio message through your android phone device to
a group WhatsApp platform known as “Ekan Sons and Daughters” and
which went viral immediately after it was posted for the purpose of
causing annoyance, insult, hatred and ill will go the current Hon.
Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Culture committed an offense contrary to
section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc)
Act 2015.”