Court Discharged and Acquitted Journalist Alex Giwa &(2) others Over Defamation Suit Filed By ITF Staff Isa Dimlong
Our Reporter – Jos
The Magistrate court sitting at UTC court in Jos North jurisdiction has discharged and acquitted a practice journalist in the state Alex Giwa over defamation case Institued against him and (2), others by ITF Staff Isa Dimlong the complainant.
The suit was instituted against the journalist and (2) others over story publicated on this medium, while the two others standing trial along with him as originator of the said story.
Isa Dimlong who is a staff of Industrial Training Funding (ITF), currently serving in Bauchi Branch had earlier dragged the defendants before the Magistrate court sitting at Abattoir ,which earlier discharged and acquitted the three accused persons ,as the complainant Isa Dimlong went ahead to refiled fresh suit at the Magistrate court sitting at the premises of State High Court.
The defendants counsel barrister Pangdak Bawa, for reasons best know to him, filed application for the transfer of case file from Magistrate court sitting at High Court premises on ground that the judge appears to be having interest on the case ,as his clients may likely not get Justice, and his application was granted ,and the case transferred to Magistrate court sitting at JMDB premises.
Defendants counsel again Challenged through application challenging unilateral transfer of the case file by the judge at the Magistrate court sitting at High Court premises instead of returning the file to Ministry of Justice for reassignment which by implication he is capable of influencing the case against his clients (defendants).
After arguments by both counsel ,the defendants and complaint, the file was reassigned to another judge sitting at UTC court in the state.
The case which come up today 28th May 2025 for mention , the counsel to the complainant told the court that his client Isa Dimlong, who was conspicuously absent in court ,has instructed him to apply for the withdrawal of the case from court as the parties are in the process of reconciliation.
In quick reaction, counsel to the defendants Pangdak Bawa told the court that although he is not opposing the application for the withdrawal of the case because is their rights, on the contrary as insinuated by the complainant that parties are in process of reconciliation, vehemently debunked the claim, revealed that the complainant and the defendants are not even in talking term not to talk of reconciliation.
Barrister Pangdak further urged the court to invoke section 368 of the Plateau State Administration of Criminal Justice Law discharging the accused persons and also Acquitted the (3) accused persons to finally nail on the coffin to forbid the complainant from reawakening the case from whatever directions what so ever ,now or in the nearest future.
In her judgement,the presiding judge after meticulously read out the judgement however strike out the case in line with the application of the complainant Isa Dimlong and granted the application of the defendants by invoking Section (368) of Plateau State Administrations of criminal Justice law which did not only discharged accused persons but also Acquitted the three which means the case cannot be resurrected in whatever form again.
It would be recall that the ITF staff Isa Dimlong dragged the defendants to court over Defamation and Character assassination.
