Court Strikes Out DSS’ Cyber-Stalking Suit Against Journalist

A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, on Wednesday, dismissed a cyber-stalking suit filed against Saint Mienapo, Chief Executive Officer, NAIJA LIVE TV, by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Delivering a ruling, Justice Abimbola Awogboro, discharged Mienapo, after the Prosecution Counsel, Victor Uchendu made an application to withdraw the charge.

The DSS charged Mienapo with alleged false report which claimed that Governor Yahaya Bello spent N7 billion to build a makeshift COVID-19 isolation center in Kogi.

Awogboro struck out the case against Mienapo and advised him to be more careful in reporting his stories.

Earlier, Uchendu told the court that the application to withdraw the suit was based on a public apology tendered by the defendant to Governor Bello.

“The defendant apologised to Gov. Bello. He has since retracted the story in several online platforms and the governor has forgiven him for the injury caused by the false report.

“The governor sent his Commissioner for Information who is here in person to show that the complainant in this case has forgiven the acused,” Uchendu said.

Speaking to NAN after the ruling, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi Commissioner for Information applauded the DSS operatives for their dexterity in the investigation of the case.

He said that following representations by the family of Mienapo, Gov. Bello realized that Mienapo was a young journalist who erred and rendered apologies and pardoned him.

“Gov. Bello is a compassionate youth and friendly person who is also a friend of journalists accepted the apologies and I believe Mienapo has learnt his lesson,” Fanwo said.

Mienapo said that the error was regrettable and applauded Bello for his magnanimity and forgiving spirit.

“I am grateful to Gov. Bello who showed me kindness as a father and I will continue to see him as a father figure from today onward,” he said.