A journalist and author, Nengi Owei-Ilagha, better known as Pope Pen has been arraigned before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for alleged defamatory posts on Facebook.
It was learnt that the alleged defamatory posts was against Mr Emmanuel Chiefson, a member of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Bayelsa.
In suit No: FHC/YNG/88C/2022 before Justice Emmanuel Gakko, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ben Okolo, filed three counts against Owei-Ilagha.
The defendant Owei-Ilagha, however, on Monday pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Godfrey Otiotio, his counsel moved an application for bail as the defendant earlier granted administrative bail by the Police was ready to present himself for trial.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr M.Y. Benabo, while speaking on the application noted that although he was not opposing the bail, the court should urge the defendant to refrain from making comments on social media that could prejudice the outcome of the case.
The defence counsel, Otiotio, pledged that he would not make comments in the media as it would amount to prejudice and would advise his client to do the same.
The trial judge, ruling on the bail application, admitted the media practitioner to bail of N1million and one surety preferably the same surety on the administrative bail earlier granted by the Police.
Gakko noted that the media has played and continued to play positive roles in society but harped on the fact that it was unlawful for the media to pre-empt the outcome of cases before the judiciary.
Owei-Ilagha, an author and broadcast journalist was a speech writer to two former Governors of Bayelsa and the former General Manager, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation.