Social media commentator, Ibrahim Garba Wala, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment over offences bordering on criminal defamation and public incitement.
Justice Yusuf Halilu of a High Court sitting
in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, convicted Wala, who is the convener of
Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) in 3 of the 4-count
charges brought against him by the office of the Attorney General of the
Federation (AGF).
Justice Halilu convicted him fo managing
unlawful association, public incitement and defamation of character over
social media posts against the chairman of the National Hajj Commission
of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Muhammed.
The NAHCON boss had
alleged that Wala used his Facebook page to incite the public against
him and defame him and that of the commission.
The court agreed
with the prosecution that Wala criminally defamed Muhammed after he
alleged that the NAHCON boss “made N3 billion for himself” from the 2017
Hajj operations.
The judge said Wala wrote on his Facebook page
that he has documents to prove the allegation, but failed to provide the
document to prove his claims in court.
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