June 28, 2006
An Abuja High Court presided by Justice Babs Kuewunmi this afternoon granted bail to Gbenga Aruleba and Rotimi Durojaiye, the two journalists accused of sedition by the federal government. Ruling on the bail applications filed by Mr. Femi Falana, counsel to the accused, Justice Kuewunmi granted bail to Mr. Gbenga Aruleba of AIT, Abuja and Rotimi Durojaiye of the Daily Independent newspapers in the sum of N500,000 each and a surety who must be a resident of Abuja.The judge adjourned the trial of the two journalists till 25 July, 2006. Falana had earlier challenged the federal government to present papers as to when the presidential plane was manufactured, the cost and the name of the manufacturer. The two journalists had been denied bail on Tuesday by Justice Kuewunmi.
Aruleba was arrested two weeks ago for describing the newly acquired presidential jet as tokunbo (second hand or fairly used) aeroplane. Durojaiye was arrested and arraigned on a six-count charge with Aruleba because he was alleged to have first used the word ‘tokunbo’ to describe the jet in his report in Daily Independent newspaper. The word is considered derogatory.
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have described the trial of the journalists as undue harassment and intimidation of journalists to cow them into submission. In his reaction to the trial, the Chairman of the Abuja correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Malachy Uzondu, said the federal government was treading on a dangerous path. “They should allow sleeping dog to lie so that we can nurture this democracy together,” he said.
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