Posted by By GODWIN TSA and JOE NWANKWO, Abuja on
Men of the State Security Services (SSS) on Monday in Abuja re-arrested the presenter of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Mr. Gbenga Aruleba....
Men of the State Security Services (SSS) on Monday in Abuja re-arrested the presenter of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Mr. Gbenga Aruleba. He is to be charged before an Abuja Federal High Court today.
Aruleba will be arraigned along with the Daily Independent newspaper Senior Aviation Correspondent, Rotimi Durojaye who had been picked in Lagos last Sunday and flown to Abuja.
Both journalists are to be arraigned on a six-count charge of seditious publication with intent to bring hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person of the president or the government of the federation.
The offences, according to the charge sheet prepared by the Director of Public Prosecution, Salisu Aliyu, are contrary to section 51(1) (a) of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).
Specifically, Mr Aruleba is said to have on or about June 13, 2006, at Lagos and other places in the country within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the President or the Government of the Federation did conspire among yourselves to "utter seditious words, publish, or reproduce seditious publication using the medium of ‘Focus Nigeria' programme on AIT, against the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and/or the government of the Federation and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 51(1) (a) of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 and punishable under section 51(1) of the said Criminal Code Act."
Durojaiye on the other hand is charged for using the Daily Independent to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute or reproduce a seditious publication titled "Controversy Over Age, Cost of Presidential Jet, five years old, acquired from Lufthansa NAF, Civil pilots fight for control"
Carried on the front and inside pages of Daily Independent Newspaper, of June 12, 2006, property of Independent Newspapers Limited, against the person of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 51(1) (c) of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 77, LFN, 1990 and punishable under section 51(1) of the said Act.'
Earlier, the Director General of the State Security Services, Colonel Kayode Are (rtd) addressed newsmen over the presenter's arrest but refused to disclose his offence other than that the Service was following the rule of law in the discharge of its duties, adding that investigations into the matter was in progress.
According to Are: "We are going to go by the rule of law and according to the norms and the norms say that when an investigation is on, the details cannot be discussed with anyone. So there is no way I can discuss the details with you just because I want to please you. That is not the norm of my profession.
"Secondly, the man is a citizen like me, if I commit an offence, I can be invited, I can be arrested by an appropriate authority. If investigation is concluded and the fellow is liable, he would be taken before an appropriate judicial authority, if he is not, he will be released and he has a right to go to court for remedy."
Aruleba had earlier been arrested on June 14, but was released the following day.