BY SEGUN ADEOSUN
Channels Television may have crossed the red line in its reportage of the ongoing corruption trial involving an erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh.
That is in the estimation of the Presiding Judge in the alleged fraud case, Justice Okon Abang, who, on Tuesday, ordered the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to institute a case of alleged prejudicial comments against one of the lawyers representing Metuh in the case, Mr. Benchux Nwosu.
Justice Abang gave the order after seeing a video recording of Sunrise Daily, a popular current affairs programme which Channels Television aired sometime in April this year. It was, however, a narrow escape for one of the lawyers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane, who contributed to the programme through telephone.
“The court has listened attentively to the video recording of Channels Television Sunrise Daily of April, 2018,” said Justice Abang. “I noticed that Bemchux Nwosu was also on the programme. I heard what he said about the trial going on in this court. If he was in court before me, I would have known what to do. I thought he had the courage. He ought to have appeared before the court.
“It is clear that the statement of the programme was aired outside the court not within the court, therefore, I have no jurisdiction to determine whether the statements are prejudicial to this court.”
The trial judge said even though he had no jurisdiction to declare that the statement made by the three persons representing Channels Television constituted prejudicial discussion, ” I have jurisdiction to refer this matter to the body that can determine such.”
He, therefore, ordered that the matter be referred to the disciplinary committee of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA. He also ordered EFCC to file copies of compliance to the judgement within 30 days.
Among other things that the prosecution (EFCC) was directed to comply with is the arraignment of Mr. Nwosu and the three Channels Television journalists in a competent court of law. And the case should be instituted by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami.
