The Osun State Government said it would discontinue the trial of Saheed Akinloye, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party who allegedly spread false information against the government on his Facebook page.
Recall that Akinloye was arraigned before a Magistrate’s court on Tuesday over a post claiming that Osun State government imported coronavirus into the state to get funding from the Federal Government.
The PUNCH however reports that the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Femi Akande, disclosed on Thursday that Governor Gboyega Oyetola had directed discontinuation of the trial on compassionate ground.
Akande said the governor only read about the incident in the papers and directed that the state should not continue with the matter.
The paper quoted the Attorney-General as saying that Oyetola’s directive was not because Akinloye did not commit the offence he was accused of and warned that law against spread of false information about coronavirus was still in force.
He said, “Governor Oyetola in the spirit of the prevention against the spread of COVID-19, felt that the state should discontinue the matter.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Osun Court Sends 14 To Prison For Flouting Stay-at-home Order
“It is not that he (Akinloye) has not committed an offence. Lockdown commences tomorrow (today Friday), and the court will not sit in the next 14 days. That means he would be locked up for the period.
“In Mr. Governor’s view, he said the case should be discontinued. He (Akinloye) went contrary to the state Infectious Disease Law 2020. Section 13 of the act deals with the transmission of false information.
“If anyone should think there is no law and goes ahead to commit the same offence and thinks the state government will not take action, he may not be as lucky as Akinloye.”
Meanwhile, Akinloye was on Thursday committed to bail in the sum of N1m with one surety.
Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara had remanded Akinloye in a correctional centre and directed his counsel, Bamidele Ajibade, to file written bail application for him.
