A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday remanded a journalist and publisher of an online news outlet, CrossRiverWatch, Mr Agba Jalingo, in prison custody over alleged false publication.
Justice Zainab Abubakar remanded Jalingo at the Kuje prison, following his arraignment on a two-count charge by the Police.
The defendant in the charge, which bordered on alleged cybercrime, was accused of publishing an article that disparaged Mrs Elizabeth Ayade, who is the wife of the younger brother of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that Jalingo, who is a frontline critic of governor Ayade’s administration, was accused of engaging in a false publication that was intended to cause annoyance, ill will and insult to the person of Mrs Ayade.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After the defendant entered his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mr Fidelis Ogbobe, applied for a trial date.
Though the lawyer that announced the appearance for the defendant, Baba Isa, did not oppose the request for a trial date, he prayed to the court for a short stand-down to enable the lead defence counsel in the matter, Marshal Abubakar, to arrive.
The application for a stand-down was opposed by the prosecution, which alleged a plot to deliberately delay the case.
The trial judge upheld the position of the prosecution and refused the request.
The court held that in its record, Mr Abubakar, who arrived after the defendant had taken his plea, did not appear before it in the matter.
Justice Abubakar subsequently fixed March 30, to hear the defendant’s bail application, even as she slated May 32 for trial.
The court held that the defendant should remain in prison custody, pending the determination of his application for bail.