A 39-year-old man, Ganiyu Abiola, was, on Tuesday, arraigned by the Oyo State Police Command over alleged defamation of a police officer through Facebook and WhatsApp.
The defendant whose address was not stated, was arraigned on two counts bordering on defamation and breach of peace before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Sikiru Opaleye, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on May 12, 2024, at about 6.00 p.m. in the Egbeda area of Ibadan.
Opaleye said that the defendant, through his Facebook and WhatsApp accounts, alleged that one Inspector Folasade Adeoye aided someone to commit fraud.
He said that the defendant knew that the information was false.
Opaleye also told the court that the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by spreading false information about Adeoye.
According to the prosecutor, the alleged offences contravened Section 249 (d) and 375 of the Criminal Law of Oyo State, 2000.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Consequently, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Olabisi Ogunkanmi, granted the defendant bail of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Ogunkanmi directed that one of the sureties must belong to a human rights association.
She ordered that the other surety must provide evidence of three years’ tax payment, to the Oyo State Government.
Ogunkanmi adjourned the case to November 19, 2024, for mention.
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