BREAKING: A’Court Orders Journalist Agba Jalingo To Resume Trial Over Cyberstalking Claims Linked to Ayade Family”

By Jonathan Ugbal

The Court of Appeal on Friday ordered Nigerian Journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo to enter his defense before Justice Joyce Abdumalik of the Federal High Court nearly two years after he was discharged and acquitted.

Justice Abdumalik had on July 8, 2024 upheld the no-case submission filed by Mr. Jalingo in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/565/2022 wherein he was accused of committing offences punishable by Section 24 (1)b of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.

The charges were brought against him by Mrs. Elizabeth Alami Ayade, who is the wife of Mr. Frank Ayade, the younger brother of a former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade.

Mrs. Ayade had filed a petition with the police, leading to Jalingo’s arrest and subsequent charges under the Cybercrimes Act which stemmed from a Facebook post about an examination malpractice case at the Abuja campus of the Nigerian Law School which she said caused her “ill will,” and “insult.”

READ: BREAKING: Court Discharge, Acquits Agba Jalingo In Criminal Defamation Case Instigated By Ayade’s In-Law

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial Court, the Police appealed the matter.

And, on Thursday, the Appeal Court, despite dismissing grounds one and four of their grounds of appeal, ordered Mr. Jalingo return to the trial Court and to enter his defense.

Reacting to the judgement, Mr. Jalingo’s lawyer, F. Baba Isa Esq said he has spoken with his client and the matter will be taken to the Supreme Court.

“We thank the Court for this, but we are not shaken. We will approach the Supreme Court because the Appeal Court did not take cognisance of its own ruling which the trial Court relied on to grant us victory,” he said.

More details later…