Secret affairs: Doctor docked for defamation

Ogunsakin Mustapha
2 Min Read

A public health physician, Dr Alayo Sopekan was on Wednesday docked before an Upper Area Court Gwagwalada for allegedly accusing another of having a secret affair with his wife.

The police charged Sopekan of Kuje, Abuja with criminal intimidation and defamation of character.

The Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu told the court that the complainant, Mr Olaide Mukaila of Bamishi in Kuje Area Council reported the matter at Gwagwalada Area Command on Feb.8.

Yakubu said that sometime in January the defendant defamed the character of the complainant by saying he burgled his house and stole something.

He said that the defendant accused the complainant of having secret affairs with his wife, Mrs Kehinde Lugo and also threatened to use his position as a director to deal with him.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 396 and 391 of the Penal Code.

Yakubu objected to the bail of the defendant, adding that the defence council should make a formal bail application because the defendant had earlier jumped bail in the police station.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Linus Bassey in an oral bail application prayed the court to grant his client bail on the most liberal terms.

He cited Sections 158, 162, 163 and 164 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended to buttress his claims for bail.

Bassey said that the defendant would not jump bail and would always make himself available to attend his trials.

The Judge, Malam Abdullahi Abdulkarim admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with one reasonable surety in like sum.
Abdulkarim ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the country and must present his National Identity Number (NIN).

He adjourned the case until April 29 for a hearing.

NAN

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