Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 ordered the arraignment of the three presenters of ‘Sunrise Daily’, a morning show that airs on Channels Television everyday, over a presumed prejudicial statements in a case before the court.
The court also asked the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute a lawyer, Ben Chuks Nwosu over the alleged ‘prejudicial statements’.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Olisa Metuh, erstwhile PDP National Publicity Secretary, over N400million which he allegedly collected from former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, purportedly to run advocacy campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the 2015 general election.
Counsel to the EFCC, Silvanus Tahir at a sitting on May 22, 2018, drew the attention of the court to an episode of the ‘Sunrise Daily’ that was aired earlier that day, alleging that prejudicial statements were made on the program by one of Metuh’s counsels Ben Chuks Nwosu, who was a guest on programme.
Consequently, the court summoned the presenter of the programme, Maupe Ogun-Yusuf and the TV’s General Manager and ordered Channels Television to present an unedited version of the programme (Sunrise Daily) aired on the said day, for viewing to enable the court make decision on the alleged ‘prejudicial statements’.
At the resumed sitting on July 3, 2018, Justice Abang, carefully listened to the recorded programme, while taking judicial notice of utterances and contributions of all the participants on the program.
The court, thereafter, ordered the arraignment of Ben Chuks Nwosu, Chamberlain Usoh, Gimba Umar and one other in a competent court of jurisdiction to determine whether or not their utterances are indeed prejudicial and misleading as far as the matter is concerned.