The Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) on Tuesday arraigned the publisher of Best of Nollywood magazine, Mr. Seun Oloketuyi at the Federal High Court in Lagos over a story that Fidelity Bank Managing Director, Nnamdi Okonkwo, impregnated a staff of the bank.
The police said the accused published the report on his website www.naijahottestgist.com.
Oloketuyi, who is the organiser of the yearly Best of Nollywood Awards (BON), was arraigned on a two-count charge.
Count one reads in part: “That you, Seun Oloketuyi ‘m’ on or about June 2015 did knowingly or intentionally send a message and other matters by means of computer systems or network on one Nnamdi Okonkwo, the Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc which you know to be false, for the purpose of causing him annoyance, insult and ill-will on www.naijahottestgist.com.”
In count two, Oloketuyi was accused of publishing “defamatory matters” against Okonkwo “with malice” while knowing that the information was false.
Prosecution counsel, Olakanmi Omisope, said the alleged offence contravenes Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38.
Oloketuyi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime Act says: “(1) A person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems of network that (b) he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill-will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than three years or both.”
Section 375 of the Criminal Code says: “Any person who publishes any defamatory matter is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for one year; and any person who publishes any defamatory matter knowing it to be false is liable to imprisonment for two years.”
The story claimed that Okonkwo impregnated the bank’s “top marketer” known as Justina, which resulted in her husband, Ben, leaving their matrimonial home. The story also claimed that Okonkwo took responsibility for the children’s welfare and schooling.
Oloketuyi had apologised and retracted the story via www.bestofnollywood.tv, saying: “Naijahottestgist hereby apologises to the Managing Director, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the management of Fidelity Bank Plc over a story published on www.Naijahottestgist.com on 18th of June, 2015 and titled “FIDELITY BANK MD, NNAMDI OKONKWO BREAKS JUSTINA’S HOME, IMPREGNATES HER,” where we had erroneously alleged that Mr. Okonkwo was having an extra marital affair with Mrs. Justina, the Head of Marketing team of the bank.
“Regrettably, Naijahottestgist has discovered that the story wasn’t true as there was never a time Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo indulged in an extra marital affair with the said staff member, Justina.
“We hereby tender our unreserved apology to Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the entire management of FEDELITY BANK PLC.
“Similarly, we hereby retract the story and appeal to all bloggers and news site that might have copied the story from Naijahottestgist to remove the story with immediate effect.”
Justice Mohammed Yunusa adjourned to September 1 for hearing of Oloketuyi’s bail application.
The police said the accused published the report on his website www.naijahottestgist.com.
Oloketuyi, who is the organiser of the yearly Best of Nollywood Awards (BON), was arraigned on a two-count charge.
Count one reads in part: “That you, Seun Oloketuyi ‘m’ on or about June 2015 did knowingly or intentionally send a message and other matters by means of computer systems or network on one Nnamdi Okonkwo, the Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc which you know to be false, for the purpose of causing him annoyance, insult and ill-will on www.naijahottestgist.com.”
In count two, Oloketuyi was accused of publishing “defamatory matters” against Okonkwo “with malice” while knowing that the information was false.
Prosecution counsel, Olakanmi Omisope, said the alleged offence contravenes Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38.
Oloketuyi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime Act says: “(1) A person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems of network that (b) he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill-will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than three years or both.”
Section 375 of the Criminal Code says: “Any person who publishes any defamatory matter is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for one year; and any person who publishes any defamatory matter knowing it to be false is liable to imprisonment for two years.”
The story claimed that Okonkwo impregnated the bank’s “top marketer” known as Justina, which resulted in her husband, Ben, leaving their matrimonial home. The story also claimed that Okonkwo took responsibility for the children’s welfare and schooling.
Oloketuyi had apologised and retracted the story via www.bestofnollywood.tv, saying: “Naijahottestgist hereby apologises to the Managing Director, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the management of Fidelity Bank Plc over a story published on www.Naijahottestgist.com on 18th of June, 2015 and titled “FIDELITY BANK MD, NNAMDI OKONKWO BREAKS JUSTINA’S HOME, IMPREGNATES HER,” where we had erroneously alleged that Mr. Okonkwo was having an extra marital affair with Mrs. Justina, the Head of Marketing team of the bank.
“Regrettably, Naijahottestgist has discovered that the story wasn’t true as there was never a time Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo indulged in an extra marital affair with the said staff member, Justina.
“We hereby tender our unreserved apology to Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the entire management of FEDELITY BANK PLC.
“Similarly, we hereby retract the story and appeal to all bloggers and news site that might have copied the story from Naijahottestgist to remove the story with immediate effect.”
Justice Mohammed Yunusa adjourned to September 1 for hearing of Oloketuyi’s bail application.
Blogger Jailed for Defamation of Charater
Reviewed by getitrightnigerians
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Reviewed by getitrightnigerians
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This is sad,news writers should imbibe the culture of investigative journalism before they publish any news story on magazines, websites and news journals.
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