Ex-lawmaker arraigned for alleged perjury, defamatory publication

• Published date: 20 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Former lawmaker and international parliamentarian, Folaranmi Oyebanji, has been arraigned before an Ogbomoso Chief Magistrate's court for alleged perjury, false and defamatory publication on a pending matter in the court.

Oyebanji and six others, including a nonagenarian, Chief Mathew Wojuade Ademola, were on July 9, 2022 arraigned and charged with alleged 'conspiracy, forgery, publication of false documents, and threat to murder Chief Solomon Ojedayo and his family members'.

According to the fresh 4-count charge numbered: MOG/11c/2023, brought against the 57-year-old defendant by the prosecution, which he pleaded not guilty to, he with another person now at large, allegedly 'on 16th September. 2021 at about 10.00 am at Oko area, Ogbomoso in the Ogbomoso magisterial district, did conspire to commit felony to wit perjury, publication of false and defamatory news, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace, and therefore committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000'

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On the second count, while the substantive matter was ongoing in the court, Oyebanji allegedly 'granted an interview to a journalist (Femi Ogunlana) on a matter pending before the Chief Magistrate Court, Oja'gbo, Ogbomoso where you are on oath as a defendant on Charge No: MOG/157/2021: Commissioner of Police v. Chief Matthew Wojuade Ademola and 6 ors, and you directed Femi Ogunlana to make publication of it in his Ogbomosoinsight Online platform with an intent to incite public against the aforesaid Magistrate Court 1, Oja'gbo, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable...