In a defamation case brought against him by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, journalist Agba Jalingo has been granted bail by an Abuja-based Federal High Court.
Jalingo received bail on Thursday morning from the court.
Jalingo was charged with defaming Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State, and his wife Elizabeth Ayade, who is the sister of Frank Ayade.
Recall that on Monday reported that the journalist was denied the chance to exercise his constitutional right to request bail during the continuation of the trial in a ruling delivered by Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar on Monday morning.
The constitutional right to bail is guaranteed under Sections 35 and 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). However, the judge was hostile to Jalingo’s lawyers, denying them the opportunity to stand down the case for 30 minutes in order to give the lead lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, an opportunity to file an application for bail. She then ordered that Agba Jalingo should be arraigned in the dock and be read his charge, and sent him to Kuje prison until Thursday.
The police in August 2022 arrested Jalingo after hours of laying siege to his Lagos residence for allegedly defaming the character of Elizabeth. On Thursday, the judge granted him bail, claiming the publication by the journalist against Elizabeth was false and was released for the purpose of causing her annoyance, ill will, and insult.