Ex- senator defamed integrity of the Nigerian Police – witness tells court

A Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)Jimoh Moshood, told an FCT High Court, Kubwa that a former Senator, Isah Misau defamed the integrity and reputation of the police.

Moshood, DCP, Administration, Oyo state police command made this known while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Bello Abu.

The Attorney-General of the Federation charged Misau whom alleged that the police receive N10 billion monthly from companies, with seven counts bordering on injurious falsehood, which he pleaded not guilty to.

Moshood said he was a Force Public Relations Officer from 2017 to 2019 with duties to check news from newspapers, online, radio, etc, about the Nigerian Police Force, Inspector General of Police(IGP) and other officers.

”On Aug.10, 2017 at my daily routine, I saw a publication in Daily Trust newspapers with a caption that police officers pay bribe for promotion and it was credited to the defendant whom granted the interview.

”He was quoted in page one and three of the newspaper publication as saying that he interviewed some police personnel who confirmed that officers pay as much as N2.5million to get promotion which is false.

”On Aug.26, 2017, in another publication in Punch newspapers pages 1 and 12 the defendant said that the IGP, Ibrahim Idris collects N120 billion naira annually from firms and V.I.Ps.

“He also granted an interview to This day newspaper on Aug.26, 2017 and claimed that the IGP collects N10 billion monthly for deployment of police personnel to oil companies and banks,” Moshood said.

He said that Mr Seun Okinbayole of Channels television called him to appear on the programme ” Sunday Politics“.

“I appeared on the programme with the defendant present on Aug.27, 2017. During the programme, the defendant repeated everything he said in the Daily Trust and Punch publications.

”His statements were injurious and defaming to the IGP and to the integrity and reputation of the Nigerian Police Force as a whole and the Police Service Commission.

“The defendant’s statements further created a breakdown of discipline in the Nigerian Police at the time,” he said.

Moshood said the I-G directed a detailed investigation at the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters and the panel asked him to make a statement of what he knew about the matter.

The pages of Daily Trust, Punch and This day newspapers and the statement he wrote at the panel were tendered and admitted as exhibits.

During cross-examination, The defence counsel, Micheal Ajara asked if the charge against the defendant was filed in the era of the former IGP, Idris.

Ajara also asked the witness if he was familiar with the word freedom of expression and asked him to define it.

In response, the witness said he did not file the charge himself adding that freedom of expression is as the word implies.

The judge, Asmau Akanbi-Yusuf, adjourned the matter until March 22 for continuation of hearing.