NIGERIAN POLICE ARRAIGN PREMIUM TIMES REPORTER WITHOUT LAWYER, EMPLOYERS KNOWLEDGE

‘Even though he (Ogundipe) repeatedly told the police that he would, as legally allowed, need to contact his lawyers or his employer before going to court, the police refused’, Mojeed stated.

‘When the charge was brought before the magistrate, there was no mention that Mr Ogundipe works as a journalist. The police carefully avoided mentioning that, only telling the magistrate he was being charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document’.

Penpushing gathered further that, the Magistrate gave an order that he(Ogundipe) be detained for five more days, till August 20, but ordered that he be allowed to make a call while within the court premises.

The Editor-in Chief of the Newspapers said, it was the phone of a court official that Ogundipe used to contact him, and explained thus, “they brought me to a magistrate court in Kubwa where they arraigned me. The magistrate said they should detain me for five days’

.

“They accused me of criminal trespass. They said I stole secret documents. The magistrate does not know the details, because they did not include in the charge that I am a journalist. I was not allowed to contact my lawyers.”

“They also did not allow me to call anyone until the magistrate ordered them to let me make one call. I am currently using the registrar’s phone to make this call and they are collecting it,” Ogundipe told his boss just before the call ended.

Penpushing also reports that, Ogundipe said the police accused him of violating sections 352, 288 and 319 of the penal code.