3rd October, 2014
A magistrate court siting in Abuja has discharged Mr. Amaechi Anakwue, a journalist with the African Independent Television, AIT.
Amaechi was arrested on the orders of former Rivers and Fct Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7.
The journalist was alleged to have disparaged Mr. Mbu whom he referred to as being controversial during a programme he anchors on AIT, an act which the police top brass believes was calculated to impugn his character and reduce his reputation before the public.
However, the prosecutor, Chijioke Okezie at today’s proceedings informed the court that he had been instructed by Mr. Mbu to withdraw the First Information Report; FIR, which was filed before the court upon which the journalist was to be tried.
According to Mr. Okezie, Mr. Mbu who is the complainant in the case has directed him to withdraw the FIR and to bring the journalist back to his office at the Zone 7 Command Headquarters located at the Wuse Zone 3 axis of the Abuja metropolis.
Amaechi’s lawyer, Mr. N. J Njoku protested against the return of his client to the police command but did not object to the withdrawal of the FIR. H3 insisted that in the face of the withdrawal of the FIR by the prosecutor, that the only thing left for the court to do was to discharge his client.
The court presided by Mr. Egboi Anthony Enahoro agreed with Ameachi’s lawyer noting that the proper thing to do in the face of the withdrawal of the FIR by the prosecutor is to discharge the accused and he thereafter discharged the journalist.