An Ilorin magistrate court today granted bail to two detained journalists brothers, Dare Akogun, and Abdulrasheed Akogun who were remanded last week, on account of a petition, written by Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, alleging defamation of character.
At the resumed hearing, today, the court, which barred journalists from entering the courtroom, due to reasons best known to the court, granted the bail, with the condition that the two accused persons provide two sureties, and a sum of ₦500,000, (Five hundred thousand) and particulars of landed property within the Ilorin Metropolis.
The two journalists were last week, invited for questioning, following Ajakaye’s petition, claiming that the two journalists accused him of facilitating the release of public funds running into millions, to influence the last year’s Kwara NUJ election, to ensure that someone who would not be antagonistic to the government emerged; an allegation he describes as untrue.
One of the Akoguns (Dare) who contested but lost narrowly to the eventual winner, Ahmed Lanre Abdullateef, corroborates the claim that they were true, and that was the basis upon which they were invited by the police for questioning.
They were detained last week, when they refused to apologise, as suggested by the State Commissioner of Police, preferring to be subjected to trial so that they could prove the allegations, but detaining them triggered protest from journalists, who demanded that they be charged to court, in line with the provisions of the law, instead of being kept in police custody.
The huge presence of human rights activists, journalists, and admirers of the persecuted journalists erupted in jubilation when the magistrate granted them bail and adjourned the case till Wednesday, 23rd of November, 2022.
