The Federal Government has filed a six-count charge against Order Paper, a media organization, and some of its journalists for allegedly publishing false information about the impeachment of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The charges follow a report published by the media house, which claimed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had laid siege to the National Assembly to carry out Akpabio’s impeachment.
The report, which has since been debunked by Akpabio as false, led to charges against Order Paper’s founder and Executive Director, Oke Epia, along with staff members Tony Okeke Ofodile, Edna Bill Ulaeto, and Elizabeth Atime.
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According to the charge sheet, the defendants are accused of knowingly publishing false information with the intent to harm the reputations of both the DSS and the Senate President.
The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/555/2024, were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 21 by A. A. Yusuf, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation.
According to the filed documents, “Order Paper (Incorporated Trustee), through its agents, on or about the 16th of October 2024 knowingly published false information via its online platform, alleging that the DSS laid siege to the National Assembly over plans to impeach the Senate President, which they knew to be false.”
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The Federal Government has also accused the media house and its journalists of cyber defamation under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act, alleging that the publication was intended to damage the reputations of the DSS and Akpabio.
Under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, the defendants face further charges of defamation, asserting that the publication brought the DSS into public ridicule.
Additionally, the charges include publishing false news intended to incite public fear and disturbance under Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The case, which is yet to be assigned to a judge, will proceed in the Federal High Court in Abuja. As of the time of filing, the defendants and their legal representatives have not commented on the matter.