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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

BAD ARTICLE: Leadership Journalists Still In Hot Soup?

Fifty days after withdrawing an alleged forgery charge against two LEADERSHIP journalists:  Mr Tony Amokeodo (the Group News Editor) and Mr. Chibuzor Ukaibe (Political Correspondent), the Federal Government today made a U-turn and re-filed the case before an Abuja High Court in Kubwa.
The lead lawyer to the federal government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), had on Friday filed an 11 –count charge of alleged forgery of presidential directive against Amokeodo, Ukaibe and LEADERSHIP Group Ltd before Justice U. A. Musale.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on May 2, 2013, struck out the case, following the withdrawal of a-six count charge by the lawyer to the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
The development was sequel to the notice of preliminary objection filed by the lawyer to the LEADERSHIP journalists, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who argued that the court could not entertain the matter on the grounds that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
But a new twist emerged on Friday, May 29, 2013, when the federal government through its lawyer, Awomolo, approached an Abuja High Court through an ex-parte application, seeking the leave of the court to prefer a charge against the journalists.
After listening to the argument by a lawyer from Awomolo’s chambers, Mrs F. Folorunso, Justice Musale granted the request of the federal government.
The judge later  adjourned the case till Thursday, June 27, 2013 for the arraignment of the two LEADERSHIP journalists.
But a court bailiff accompanied by lawyers from Awomolo’s chambers, came to LEADERSHIP’s office yesterday at about 2.45pm to serve the new charge against the journalists and the newspaper company.
The 11-count charge is as follows:
 
COUNT 1:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to 
wit: forged a document titled 'Presidential Directive' having on it the 
Seal of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 
published on the front page of Leadership Newspaper of 3rd day of 
April, 2013,.intended by you to be understood to be the seal of the office 
of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the intent of the 
document purported it to be the directive of the President of the Federal 
Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under 
Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 
Abuja.
COUNT 2:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did commit an offence to wit: forged a document titled 
'Presidential Directive' having on it the Seal of the office of the President 
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria published on the front page of 
Leadership Newspaper of 3rd day of April, 2013, intended by you to understood to be the seal of the office of the President of the Federal 
Republic of Nigeria and the intent of the document purported it to be 
that, made by the office of the President of the Federal Republic of 
Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 365 
of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 3:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to 
wit: making a false document titled PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE on a 
letter head purporting same to be a document made from the office of 
the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and published same on 
the front page of LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER of 3rd day of April, 2013, 
knowing it to be false and with the intent that it may be acted upon as 
genuine to the prejudice of the President and thereby committed an 
offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the 
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 4:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable' court did make a false document titled PRESIDENTIAL 
DIRECTIVE on a letter head, purporting same to be a document from 
the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 
published same on the front page of LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER of 3rd 
day of April, 2013 knowing it to be false and with the intent that it may 
be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of the President of the Federal 
Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under 
Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 
Abuja.
COUNT 5:
That you TONY  AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: dishonestly using as genuine a false document titled PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE with the seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, purporting same to be a document made or issued by the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria  and published same on the front page of LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER of  3rd day of April, 2013, for the consumption of the general public and  thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal  Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 6:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did dishonestly use as genuine a false document titled 
'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE' with the seal of the office of the President 
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, purporting same to be the document 
made or issued by the office of the President of the Federal Republic of 
Nigeria and published same on the front page of LEADERSHIP 
NEWSPAPER of 3rd day of April, 2013, for the consumption of the 
general public and thereby committed an offence punishable under 
Section 366 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 
Abuja.
COUNT 7:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir  Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja  within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this  honourable court did conspire to commit an offence to wit: attempted to  excite feelings of disaffection against the person of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the false document published by  you on the front page of LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER of 3rd day of April, 2013, titled 'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE' which document was  intended by you to excite feelings of disaffection and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 8:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja
                                                                                                                                                                                                3 I P age
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did commit an offence to wit: attempted to excite 
feelings of disaffection against the person of the President of the Federal 
Republic of Nigeria through the false document published by you on the 
front page of LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER of 3rd day of April, 2013, 
titled 'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE' which document was intended by 
you to excite feelings of disaffection and thereby committed an offence 
punishable under Section 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) 
Federal Provision Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 9:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did conspire to commit an offence to wit: Publishing a 
statement titled 'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE' which you have reason 
to believe to be false with intent to cause alarm to the public whereby 
members of the public may be induced to commit an offence against 
public peace and you thereby committed an offence punishable under 
Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 
Abuja.
COUNT 10:
That you TONY  AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR 
UKAIBE, ~EADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir 
Lane, Utako, Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja 
within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this 
honourable court did commit an offence to wit: Publishing a statement 
titled 'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE' which you have reason to believe to 
be false with intent to cause alarm to the public whereby members of the 
public may be induced to commit an offence against public peace and 
you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 418 of the 
Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provision Act, Laws of the Federal 
Capital Territory, Abuja.
COUNT 11:
That you TONY AMOKEODO, CHIBUZOR UKAIBE, 
LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, all of 27 Ibrahim Tahir Lane, Utako, 
Abuja, on or about the 3rd day of April, 2013 at Abuja within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court did 
commit an offence to wit: Having in your possession without lawful 
excuse a document titled 'PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE', the publication 
of which is capable of exciting feelings of disaffection against the person 
of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and you thereby 
committed an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Penal Code 
(Northern States) Federal Provision Act, Laws of the Federal Capital 
Territory, Abuja.
Source: Sahara Reporters

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