Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
Kebbi State Government has discontinued the prosecution of Reporter of The Sun Newspaper, Mr. Olanrewaju Lawal, who is standing trial before a magistrate court in the state.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, through the Director Public Prosecution (DPP), had informed the state counsel, M.U Makera, who was in court on Monday to immediately discontinue the case.
Makera told the court that “we just received a directive from the AGR that this case be discontinued immediately.”
He cited section 211 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) to buttress his oral submission.
While ruling on the oral application of the state counsel, Chief Magistrate, Ghali Muhammadu, however, pronounced the discontinuation of the case.
“Based on the oral application of the Attorney General to discontinue the case against the accused person…, I hereby discontinue this case according to section 211 of 1999 Constitution of the Nigeria as amended,” Magistrate Ghali submitted.
Earlier, the new State Counsel, M.U. Makera, had sought for the adjournment to allow him to call his witnesses.
The Chief Magistrate had earlier threatened the prosecution counsel to strike out the case against the reporter if no witness will be presented in court.
The defence counsel, Barrister Clement Ojum, thanked the court for its favourable submission.
The Sun reporter was arrested on the 10th December, 2018 by police in Kebbi state over allegation of disseminating false information. Lawal was granted bail on 24th December, 2018 after being remanded for two weeks.