by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The court case between Nigeria Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command and Journalist Idibia Achadu Gabriel holding at Magistrate’s Court 2 Daura Road, in Kaduna, has again been adjourned to 25th January 2024 for definite hearing.
Mr. Idibia, who is Head Bureau, Northern Operations for Daybreak Nigeria newspapers, is standing trial on alleged intimidation, defamation of character, insulting and attempt to instigate religious crises.
The journalist had, on September 24th, 2023, carried out a news report and published in Daybreak newspapers, on ‘Poor 2023 Hajj exercise’ organized by Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, which led to his arrests, arraignment and subsequent remand in prison custody.
The case, which was adjourned twice since the hearing commenced on 12th and 14th December 2023, respectively, was due to inability of the prosecuting party to provide court with all necessary offensive materials.
The Defense Counsel, Barrister J.S. Kure, had earlier, in an application asked the prosecuting party to furnish the court with all the offensive materials required for the prosecution of the case.
When the case came up on 41th December, 2023, for hearing, the prosecuting officer, Bitrus Kwaji, said they were not ready, adding that the Investigation Police Officer (IPO), Danladi Hassan, was bereaved, and unavailable to provide the said materials to be tendered in court, and therefore, pleaded for a new date.
Responding, the defendant’s Counsel, Barr. Kure, said ordinarily, he would have asked for cost, but pleaded with the court to adjourn the matter for definite commencement of hearing, which was expressly granted by the Magistrate, for 25th January, 2024.
“The prosecutor said they are not ready. Ordinarily, I would have asked for cost, but I did not. I then pleaded with the court to adjourn the matter for definite commencement of hearing,” Kure stated.
The prosecutor had earlier told the court that, Mr. Idibia took a shot of pictures of Muslim women and men and posted same content to the social media mischievously, alleging they were sleeping together, with an intention to instigate religious crises.