The Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun has Withdraw Petition against social media blackmailers who
allegedly defamed the newly inaugurated Speaker of the state.
This was contained in a release signed by the Osun Speaker, Issued on Friday in Osogbo, the state capital and obtained by SAHEL STANDARD MEDIA.
The statement partly reads; ” They say politics is a game. I have seen people play it with schemes, falsehood and even blackmail. They see politics as war and think all is fair in war.
“However, I am of the opinion that politics is strictly about service. This is why I will not malign or destroy anyone on the path to political relevance.
“This belief is why I was utterly pained that some persons sat somewhere, concocted a lie and shared it on social media, that I was declared wanted by the FBI.
According to the statement, Egbeun noted that for the records, he has never committed any act of illegality, not even a traffic offense.
” I lived in America for nearly four years and not once did I run foul of the law.
“It was therefore painful that some persons, in a bid to win a political contest, descended so low to the point of attempting to destroy me through that wicked lie.
“I thank law enforcement agents for promptly acting on my petition and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“However, I have received a lot of calls from well-meaning individuals in our State, advising me to withdraw my case against them in the interest of peace and for the protection of the future of those young men concerned.
“I heeded those counsels and directed my Lawyer to withdraw the case on Thursday, 8th June 2023, having also received a letter of apology from the culprits. The case was withdrawn and has been struck out.
“I hope sincerely that the young men have learned their lessons and will henceforth conduct themselves with decorum.
“I also call on the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress to play politics with decency, going forward. Their press releases wherein they trivialized such criminal act of libel as “mere criticism” showed the barbaric character and behavior of the people saddled with the management of that party at the moment.
“We must play politics with decorum, sincerity and respect for the rule of law at all times.
“I thank you.”
Sahel gathered that, a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, has ordered that two men be remanded in correctional centre for allegedly defaming the newly inaugurated Speaker of the state, Adewale Egbedun.
The defendants, Ajibola Oluwasegun Fawale, aged 34 and Ajiboye Babatunde, 28, were arraigned on Tuesday by the state police command.
The police slammed the duo with two count-charge bordering on publication of defamatory content on the social media.
Fawale and Babatunde were accused of posting on social media that Egbedun is a fraudster and that he had been declared wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
They allegedly committed the offence with others said to be at large on June 2, 2023 at about 7:00 am in Osogbo.
Details of the charge read to the defendants in court were, “That you Ajibola Oluwasegun Fawale and Ajiboye Babatunde and others now at large, on or about 2nd day of June 2023, at about 7:00am at Osogbo, Osun State in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did among yourselves to commit offence to wit: Publication of Defamatory of Character Matter, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. If laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“That you Ajibola Oluwasegun Fawale and Ajiboye Babatunde and others now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, with intent to injure the reputation of one Hon. Egbedun Adewale, did falsely post on a social media that Hon. Egbedun Adewale is a fraudster declared wanted by FBI/EFCC, thereby exposing him to hatred or ridicule, or damage to his profession or trade/reputation and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 373 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Olusegun Ayilara, ordered that the defendants be remanded in correctional facility and adjourned till June 9 for delivery of ruling on applications for bail.
