Court grants Wikki Times publisher, reporter N100,000 bail each

The publisher of Wikki Times, Haruna Muhammad, and his reporter, Idris Kamal, have been granted bail by Justice Ahmed Baba Sekoni Abdulfatai of Bauchi Magistrate Court 1.

On Monday, 27 June 2022, the two journalists honoured an invitation from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) following a petition by Mr Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, a member of the House of Representatives representing Bauchi Federal Constituency concerning a Wikki Times report on 18 May 2022 about the sudden death of Chairman of the All Progressive Peoples Congress (APC) in Bauchi Local Government Area of the State.

READ ALSO: IPC condemns harassment of Wikki Times journalists

The journalists arrived at the station around 10 am on Monday but after making a statement they were clamped into a cell where they alleged that they were physically assaulted despite the presence of their lawyer at the police station, they were not set free until about 10 hours later and asked to report back on Tuesday, 28 June 2022 for further interrogation.

At the court sitting on Wednesday, the prosecutor, Biliyaminu said the duo was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and cyber stalking.

Counsel to the defendants, Barrister Idris Gambo, argued the charges on the ground that the matter had nothing to do with cybercrime and was contrary to section 24 of the cybercrime act.

Hence, the charge was struck out by the court and the case was adjourned to 25 July 2022.

The two journalists have been released with a bail of N100,000 each and a surety in the same.

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