Four persons were arraigned before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday for allegedly defaming the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye.
The defendants include Owolabi Kazeem, 47; Adebisi Muritala, 48; Mustapha AbdulRahman, 33; and 33-year-old Abdulsalam Abdullahi who are slammed with a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, publishing defamatory contents through social media and disturbing public peace.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
The prosecuting counsel, Cpl. Akeem Akinloye, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired to publish a defamatory content on social media against the Ogbomoso monarch.
Akinloye said that the defendants on October 25, at about 3p.m in Ogbomoso, allegedly published defamatory video on Facebook and other social media platforms.
The Prosecution alleged that the defendants published that Oba Olaoye was causing trouble and inciting religious hostility in Ogbomoso Town, which they knew to be false.
He further said the defendants published the false news that Oba Olaoye was causing trouble by fighting Muslims in Ogbomoso with the intent to create fear and disturb the public peace.
The prosecuting counsel submitted that the offences contravened Section 59 (1) (2), 375 and 517 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.
Counsel for the defendants, O. F. A. Adeosun, asked the court for their bail in most liberal terms.
Ruling on the bail application, the Chief Magistrate, Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N5 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.
Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be blood relation of the defendants, while the second must have three-year tax clearance.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter until March 10, 2025, for hearing.
