An Ilọrin Magistrate Court has granted bail to two online journalists in Kwara State, Salihu Ayatullahi and Adisa-Jaji Azeez, Editor-in-chief and Managing Director respectively of the Informant247.
The duo were docked following a petition by the Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic, Engr Abdul Jimoh Muhammed.
They were accused of alleged criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking and injurious falsehood.
Counsel to the defendants, Abdulkadir Edun, urged the court to grant his clients bail on liberal terms following their decision to honour police invitation which led to their detention.
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But the prosecutor, Abdullah Sanni, argued that granting them bail may jeopardise police’s effort towards arresting other defendants said to be at large.
In his ruling, the Magistrate Monisola Kamson, however, granted the defendants bail and adjourned the matter until February 13th, 2024.
City & Crime reports that the two journalists had earlier approached the Federal High Court seeking protection of their fundamental human rights to press freedom and liberty.
The arraignment of the two journalists was in connection with an investigative story published by the medium on February 2, 2024, that the rector allegedly made false claims about the institution’s financial status and commissioned shoddy and uncompleted projects.
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