Journalists sentenced to five months in jail for libel, as court exonerates Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced the Editor and Correspondent of an online news medium – News digest, Gidado Shuaib, and Alfred Oluyemi respectively to 5 months imprisonment on a case of two count charges of Conspiracy and Defamation of Character filed by Hillcrest Agro- Allied Industries Limited, Amberi village Kwara State.

The court, during its February 7th, 2023 rulings, however, gave the convicts an option of N100,000 fine each.

Senior Magistrate A.S Muhammed stated that the ruling on the case with file number MCIA/674C/2019 was in connection with his reflection on the provisions of Criminal Justice Law(2018), as well as section 417(2)d of the Kwara State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2018.

Hillcrest Agro Allied Company Limited had through Samson Adedotun, a staff of the Company written a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command on alleged Libelous Publication tagged ‘Kwara Factory where Indian hemp smoking is legalized’ published on the 26th March 2018 by the two defendants which were described as malicious and character assassination aimed at denting the reputation of good standing of the Company as well years of a Mutually beneficial relationship with Foreign Investors.

The Kwara State Police Command, however, through Sgt. Ayodele, a Police Officer and investigating Police Officer attached to the State Criminal Investigation and intelligence department (CIID) investigation, prosecuted the duo owing to their acknowledgement and admissibility of the Libelous Publication with no substantial evidence.