A Magistrate’s Court in Calabar , presided over by Chief Magistrate Rita Marshall, on Tuesday, has discharged and absolved two journalists, for alleged misconduct in the Revolution Now protest of August 5, 2019.
The journalists, Mr Jonathan Ugbal and Mr Jeremiah Archibong, who are the News Editor and Managing Editor of Cross River Watch, an online news portal respectively, were charged with conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace after their arrest.
They were arraigned on August 7, 2019, and after a long trial, the defence counsel, Mr Kehole Enya, filed a no case to answer application adopted on July 15, 2020, which the court upheld on Tuesday.
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Marshall held that the prosecution had “woefully and helplessly” failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants to warrant them to enter a defence and subsequently discharged and acquitted the two journalists.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for justice and for our democracy. If our democracy must thrive, then we must fight tyranny till the end. “This victory today supports the course of justice. ” Enya said.
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