Rtd Army Officer, 10 others accused of assaulting Journalist
A retired Lt. Colonel and ten others yesterday appeared before an Abuja Magistrate court for allegedly assaulting a journalist with Media Trust Limited and three others and damaging his camera.
Rtd Lt colonel F.I Ofodile, Emeka Okeke, Abia Edet, Olumba Inyang, Joshuah Abu, Comrade Precious, Bassey Edet, Ojone Ahmed, Okafor Boniface, Obi Clement and Nwike Emmanuel, were alleged to have committed the criminal offences on October 26th.
The accused persons, all of Risk and Accident Prevention society of Nigeria (RAPSON), were said to have beaten up one Ben Atonko, a reporter with Media Trust Limited,
Udosen Imoehe of Makus Plaza, Wuse 11, Abuja and Ademola Kayode at No 24, Okotie Eboh Street, Utako, Abuja.
The prosecutor, Simon Ibrahim, a sergeant, informed the court that on October 26, one Ben Atonko and three others reported to the police that they were beaten up by the accused persons.
He also told the court that one of the complainants sustained injuries on his leg and mouth, adding that two cell phones valued at N20,000 belonging to one of the complainants disappeared in the process.
“The accused persons assaulted the complainant and damaged their camera (model M.D. 9000) valued at N850,000, offences punishable under Sections 79, 264, 265 and
327 of the Penal Code”, the prosecutor said.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty and their counsels led by G.O.C Owo, made an oral application for their bail.
Magistrate Hauwa Aliyu granted each of them bail in the sum of N100,000 with a responsible surety in like sum.
She also ruled that the surety must be a civil servant or someone with an identified and reliable means of livelihood and resident within the court’s jurisdiction as well as swear to an affidavit to produce the accused in court on the adjourned date.
Daily Trust 29th October 2010
By Hussein Yahaya and Ibrahim A.Fatai
