Police arraign journalist for alleged defamatory Facebook post

• Published date: 16 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

The Police in Bayelsa State on Monday arraigned a journalist and author Nengi Owei-Ilagha aka Pope Pen before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, for allegedly making defamatory posts against Mr Emmanuel Chiefson on Facebook.

Chiefson is a member of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Bayelsa.

Owei-Ilagha, an author and broadcast journalist was a speech writer to two former Governors of Bayelsa and the former General Manager, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ben Okolo, in suit No: FHC/YNG/88C/2022 before Justice Emmanuel Gakko, filed three counts against Owei-Ilagha.

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The defendant Owei-Ilagha, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His counsel, Godfrey Otiotio, moved an application for bail as the defendant earlier granted administrative bail by the Police was ready to present himself for trial.

Speaking on the application...