A magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, on Friday ordered the remand of two foremost journalists, Abdulrasheed Shoboi Akogun and Dare Akogun in prison.
The remand order was made by Magistrate Bio Salihu shortly after the two brothers were arraigned for an alleged defamation of character by the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye.
The government prosecutor, Nasir Yusuf, in his submissions, prayed the court for another date of adjournment pending the determination of police investigation over the matter.
He informed the court of the motion exparte attached to the police report seeking the remand of the suspects and the eleven paragraph affidavit deposed to which was attached to it.
Magistrate Bio Salihu who precided over the matter however turned down Barrister Kehinde Eleja’s appearance for the suspects saying according to Kwara State law, he lacks jurisdiction to hear him being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Sobi FM’s Judiciary Correspondent Kayode Adeoti reports that Magistrate Salihu, in his short ruling, ordered Dare and Abdulrasheed remand in Oke-Kura custodian centre while the matter was adjourned to 19th of this month.
The two Akogun Brothers are journalists. The senior Akogun (Dare) works with Sobi FM Ilorin. The other Akogun (Abdulrasheed) is the publisher of one of the leading online news platforms in Kwara, FRESH INSIGHT TV. Abdulrasheed is also a politician. He was the spokesman for Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq campaign organisation in 2019.
Rafiu Ajakaye is the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor.
Akogun Abdulrasheed in a WhatsApp group (Kwara Commission) opined that corruption is endemic in the administration of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. He also alleged that Kwara Gov through Rafiu Ajakaye sponsored NUJ election with 15M. Ajakaye petitioned the police and wants Abdulrasheed to bring forth the proof of the allegations.
Abdulrasheed stood his ground and refused to apologise as advised by CP.
He said he has proof for the allegation.