A Magistrate Court in Lokoja,Tuesday sentenced a middle age man, Habibu Achile Rabiu to two months in prison with N5,000 fine, for posting unverified information in his Facebook timeline.
Rabiu, in his Facebook timeline, had alleged the alarming rate of deaths in Kogi, caused by fever during the wave of Covid19 pandemic in the country.
Chief magistrate, A.A .Agatha, said Rabiu’s action contravenes section 393 of Kogi State penal code for posting false information on his facebook timeline.
The Department of State Security, DSS had earlier arrested Rabiu and charged him to court.
The prosecuting counsel , Mr. M.A Abaji argued that the defendant acted contrary to section 393 of Kogi State penal code by intimidating people, creating fear and inciting people against the state government.
Abaji stated that defendant has also raised false alarm in the state against the back drop of normal rate of death amidst Covid 19 pandemic in 2020.
He added that the state epidemiologist was invited to testify to ascertain the claims by Rabiu ,noting that the epidemiologist said that as at the time of the Facebook posting, the death rate was normal contrary to Rabiu’s position .
The defense counsel, E .A Iwu argued that the defendant acted based on emotion after the death of his sister who died of malaria fever
He stated that his client was pained and in a sad mood when he posted that the rate at which fever is killing people is alarming
Chief Magistrate, A.A .Agatha in her judgement sentenced Rabiu to two months with option of fine in addition to payment of N5,000.
