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Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

DSS frees journalist held for allegedly defaming Akwa Ibom health commissioner

Kufre Carter Kufre Carter

A Nigerian journalist who was arrested for reportedly defaming Akwa Ibom's state commissioner of health, Dominic Ukpong, has been freed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Kufre Carter who works with XL 106.9 FM Uyo in Akwa Ibom state was released on Wednesday after his apprehension since last month, according to his counsel, Inibehe Effiong.

Effiong said his client was released on the orders of Yusuf Bichi, the director-general of the DSS after the agency had previously refused to release the journalist after a court previously granted him bail.

“On Wednesday, 27th May 2020 at about 9:30 a.m., our client, Kufre Carter, a sport’s journalist with XL 106.9 FM in Uyo regained freedom after spending one month in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) at the instance and on the instigation of the Akwa Ibom State Government,” Effiong said in a statement.

“This came after the Director-General of the SSS, Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, ordered the SSS Command in Akwa Ibom State to comply with the valid and subsisting Order of the Court and release our client.”Effiong said they had received an indication on Tuesday night that Carter would be freed.”

“Like I told the attorney-general of Akwa Ibom state, Uwemedimo Uwoko Esq., in court when he tried to humiliate me by announcing to the hearing of lawyers in the Bar on 11th May 2020, that Kufre had apologised to the governor, our client did not apologise to the governor as he claimed and has no reason to do so,” he said.

“I also told Mr Nwoko that it is the governor who must apologise to our client. We remain unwavering in our position.

“Those who clandestinely bargained for an apology with the government in an attempt to give the government a soft landing did so in bad faith.”

Inibehe added they would return to the court on June 1 for the pending charge against the journalist.

The Cable