Talking Drums

The West African News Magazine

Guardian journalists jailed 1 year

Nigeria's Press Gag Tribunal has jailed two journalists for one year each for contravening the Public Officers (protection) Decree No 4 against false accusation.

They are Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, senior diplomatic Correspondent and assistant news editor respectively of the Nigerian Guardian. Also convicted were their employers, Guardian Newspapers Limited who were fined N50,000.

One of the publications in the Guardian was titled "11 Foreign Missions to be closed Down."

During the trial a prosecution witness Mr George Dove Edwin, permanent secretary, Ministry of External Affairs said the Guardian story was correct in respect of the ten out of the eleven names mentioned.

In his address Chief Rotimi Williams counsel for the journalists contended that the two journalists did not publish the stories for which they were charged. He defined the words 'publish' 'writer' and 'author' and then went into the provisions of the Lagos state Newspaper Law. His argument was that reporters or correspondents were no publishers.

In his argument Mr G.O. Soremi, for the prosecution submitted that the tribunal was a creation of the Federal Government hence the laws of Lagos State did not apply.

The three accused persons, he argued, were charged as principal offenders under section 7 of the criminal code as aiders and abetters and should be treated as having committed the alleged offence.

The tribunal headed by a high court judge was set up in pursuance of Decree 4 under which any journalist found guilty of false publication could be jailed for two years, without the option of a fine.

The judge was Mr Olaler Ayinde with the following military officers as members of the tribunal: Major Sanni Ahmed Fari, Lt. Commander Joseph Ekeng Eqa, and Squadron Leader Clifford Maigari. Mr Tunde Beecroft, a civil servant was secretary.

When the two journalists were brought before the Tribunal last Tuesday, they were both charged with contravening the public officers (protection against false accusation) law, better known as decree No. 4.




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