On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja released Rotimi Jolayemi, commonly known as Oba Akewi, from charges of allegedly insulting the late Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former minister of information and culture.
In a decision, Justice Emeka Nwite released Jolayemi after the case was dismissed for ineffective prosecution.
The prosecution attorney, Joseph Offor, was not present when the case was scheduled to go to a plea on today’s cause list, therefore the defendant’s attorney, Soji Toki, requested that the case be dismissed.
Since Offor appeared in court on March 30 after the case was transferred to the judge, Toki reminded the court that the prosecution had not been showing up.
The court dismissed the charge and agreed to Toki’s request to be considered uncontested.
According to rumors, Justice Anwuli Chikere was first given charge of the case in 2020, just before her retirement.
After Jolayemi was charged with disseminating an audio recording that was said to have incited anger, animosity, hostility, and insults toward the minister, Justice Chikere ordered his detention.
In order to await the outcome of his bail plea, the judge ruled that the defendant should remain in custody at the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department Headquarters in Abuja.
Later, bail was granted to him before Justice Nwite took over the case.
In a one-count charge with the markings: FHC/ABJ/CR/105/2020, Jolayemi was the only defendant and the Inspector-General of Police was the complainant.
On March 30, the prosecution appeared in court when Nwite heard the case.
The case was continued until today (Oct. 18) since he was not present in court on June 15.
Jolayemi, the host of the Yoruba radio show “Bi aye se ri” on the Osun State Broadcasting Service and Radio Kwara, was detained by the police on May 5, 2020, after performing a poem that was critical of the minister.
Jolayemi, the vice-chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria, was then transported to Abuja, where he had been on trial.
