Admin l Wednesday, October 16, 2019
CALABAR, Cross River, Nigeria – Publisher of Crossriverwatch.com, Agba Jalingo who is being prosecuted by the Cross Rivers State Government for alleged money laundering and treasonable felony was today produced in court even as prosecution sought an amendment to charges already preferred against the journalist.
Speaking for the prosecution before a Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Dennis Tarhemba accused the defendant of attempting to topple the Cross River State government and asked the Court to grant it leave to amend the charges and an order to protect witnesses.
Tarhemba, who is a deputy superintendent of police also filled for accelerated hearing. In his response, lead counsel to the defendant, Mr. Attah Ochinke argued that despite filing for the amendment since October 11th, the prosecution delayed service until few hours before the proceeding.
Justice Simon Amobeda adjourned the matter to tomorrow (Thursday) to entertain plea of the prosecution and commencement of trial.
Jalingo came into the blakc books of Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade for publishing an article, in which he queried the whereabouts of the N500 million approved and released by the Cross River State government for the floating of Cross Rivers State Microfinance bank. He facing trial for terrorism and treasonable felony.
One of the charges brought against him reads: “That you Agba on or about the 2nd of July 2019…did carry out acts of treason and treasonable felony by threatening through various publication on crossriverwatch.com and social media, using malicious publications, instigating the people of Nigeria to stage protest for the removal of the Governor of Cross River State of Nigeria from office without due process of law and thereby committed an offence punishable under the Section 41 of the Criminal Code of Act, Cap C38, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
