The trial of journalist, Agba Jalingo, who was charged with treasonable felony, terrorism and attempt to topple the Cross River State Government is commencing on (today) Wednesday.
Mr. Jalingo was arrested in his Lagos residence on August 22, 2019 and was driven to Calabar by road where he was detained.
Reports of his ill health had sparked outrage and he was eventually arraigned at the Federal High Court 2 in Calabar after 34 days in custody on September 25, 2019 for the pre-trial hearing of his bail application.
The presiding Judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, after two adjournments, September 26th and October 2nd, rejected the motion to admit him to bail on October 4, 2019.
In his ruling, Justice Amobeda said that Jalingo’s lawyers had failed to provide sufficient evidence about his failing health. He was remanded in Prison custody where he has to spent 20 days in custody since September 25th.
Consequently, Justice Amobeda dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the prosecution to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear Mr. Jalingo’s bail application and ordered accelerated hearing for October 16th and 17th.
Mixed reactions have continued to greet Mr. Jalingo’s arrest and incarceration with many pressure groups accusing the Cross River State Government for his travails, an allegation, the state has continually denied.
He had in an article published in July questioned the whereabouts of the 500 million Naira approved and released for the for the floating off the Cross River Microfinance Bank.
The Police command in Cross River State had in a letter dated August 14, 2019 titled; “Conspiracy To Cause Breach Of Public Peace” and signed by Mrs. Tami Peterside, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department invited Jalingo to report to her on August 19, 2019 at 2:00PM for an interview.
The letter was delivered by the Investigating Police Officer, Mr. Benjamin Ajala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police. And, Mr. Jalingo had disclosed that the interview had been rescheduled for August 26, 2019 but he was arrested four days before the due date.
