A Chief Magistrate Court in Lokoja, Kogi State on Friday remanded a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Austin Okai, in a correctional centre pending investigation into alleged criminal defamation against him by Directorate of State Services.
Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Musa-Mopa of the Lugard Chief Magistrate Court ruled after listening to the DSS, which arraigned him.
The DSS prosecution counsel, Izo Isaac, told the court that Okai, a former House of Representatives member for Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, was arraigned for alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation of character.
Isaac said: “Today’s arraignment of the accused is to ensure compliance with the law by not keeping him beyond 48 hours in our custody without the lawful permission of the court in line with the Criminal Justice System of Nigeria.
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“We hereby apply to this honourable court to grant our application for remanding the accused in a correctional centre.
“This is to enable the DSS to conclude their investigations into the allegations of Cyberstalking and Criminal Defamation labeled against Austin Okai.”
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Musa-Mopa granted the application and ordered that Okai should be kept in custody of the Federal Correctional Centre in Kabba.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Okai allegedly said on social media that the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, allegedly stole billions of naira meant for local governments in the state as well as some government agencies.
Consequently, DSS operatives picked up Okai from his residence on Wednesday.
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