Persecuted Nigerian journalist, Agba Jalingo, on Friday appeared at the Federal High Court, Calabar, in handcuffs for a ruling on his bail application.
Mr Jalingo, the publisher of the online CrossRiverWatch, has been in prison in Calabar, under a laughable charge of treason over a report about an alleged diversion of N500 million by the Cross River governor, Ben Ayade.
The journalist, handcuffed to another inmate, was led into the courtroom by the prison officials.
Justice Simon Amobeda was yet to rule on his bail application as at the time of filing this report.
Attah Ochinke, lawyer to Jalingo, had on Wednesday, pleaded with the court to grant him bail on grounds that he was determined to go through his trial, and, therefore, would not jump bail.
He also told the court that his client should be admitted to bail on health ground.
The prosecution counsel, Dennis Tarhemba, opposed the bail application.
Jalingo, arrested on August 22, had spent 34 days in police detention before he was arraigned on September 25.
He recently released some prison notes, telling the people of Cross River state to remain steadfast in the struggle against “dictatorship”.
He wrote, “One final assurance that I give to my people of Cross River, in particular, is that ‘we will overcome that dictator in Peregrino house’”, Mr Jalingo wrote.
“Dictatorship has never defeated goodwill and a determined people. Even if I end up not standing with you in the summit, remain strong and be rest assured that the arc of life is on our side and we will win.
“When this wind has finished blowing yonder, and it shall soon; we will look back and be glad we stuck our necks on the guillotine and history will only be fair to us, our people shall be free, the will of God would have been done and God’s name will be glorified.”
Jalingo`s arrest and trial has been hugely condemned by human rights groups.
Nigeria is a democracy but it has become increasingly risky for journalists to freely do their job.
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