By Abimbola Ogunnaike
A 35-year-old tailor, Sheidu Mukaila, was docked in a Zuba Magistrates’ Court presided by magistrate, Abdulaziz Ismail for allegedly taking naked pictures of a suspect at the police station.
The police charged the defendant who lives in Bassa village, Abuja, with defamation, printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory and attempt to commit an offence.
The prosecution counsel, James Idachaba told the court that the defendant was detained at the Airport Police Station on April 4.
Idachaba alleged that while the defendant was at the counter, he used his Android phone to take naked pictures of a suspect, Uja Obiajulu and send them to the suspect’s wife.
According to police prosecution counsel, the defendant did the same to cause tension adding that the offence contravenes the provisions of Sections 391, 95 and 394 of the Penal Code.
Section 394 states ”whoever prints or engraves a matter or causes to be prepared a record for the purpose of mechanical reproduction of any matter, knowing that the matter is defamatory of a person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both”.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.
The defence counsel, Thaddeus Mbalian made a bail application for the defendant, citing section 36(5)of the 1999 constitution and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Mbalian, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously, adding that the defendant is innocent until proven otherwise.
Magistrate Ismail granted the defendant N1 million bail, with a surety who must be a civil servant from Grade level 7.
He also ordered that the surety produce a copy of his last promotion letter to the court and adjourned the matter until May 17 for further hearing.
