In a tense courtroom scene on Monday, August 19, 2024, at the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court, Magistrate Waliu Salami ordered the confiscation of mobile phones belonging to three broadcast journalists from TVC News, Arise News, and News Central TV. The journalists were covering the trial of Precious Eze, an online journalist and publisher of the website “News Platform” who is facing charges related to his reporting.

Precious Eze stands trial on four counts, including conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, provoking an offensive publication, and conspiracy to commit felony. The charges, brought under sections 411, 168(1)(d), and 57(1)(a), (b), and (c) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, stem from a complaint lodged by businessman Chris Odinaka Igwe. The complaint arose after Eze published a report alleging that Igwe opened fire during an incident involving a dog at Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Lagos.

Eze spent over two weeks in detention—five days in Zone 2 Police Cell and 14 days at Ikoyi Prison—before securing bail.

During the hearing, police prosecutor Cyril Ejiofor raised concerns about the presence of journalists in the courtroom, claiming it was an act of intimidation against the police, the court, and the complainant. He also accused the journalists of using their phones to record the proceedings.

Despite the journalists’ explanations that they were merely taking notes, Magistrate Salami ordered them to either surrender their phones or leave the courtroom.

In the continuation of the trial, the court admitted as evidence an extra-judicial statement made by the first prosecution witness, Moses Joshua Chibunna, who works in the IT department of Mainland Oil and Gas Ltd., the complainant’s company. Under cross-examination by Barrister Kunle Afolabi of AVOCATS SANS FRONTIERS (ASF), representing the defendant, Chibunna revealed that he initially saw the post on “Precious Eze’s Blog” before it evolved into the news platform.

Chibunna acknowledged that he was unsure whether Igwe’s police orderly was present during the incident or fired any shots. However, he confirmed that Eze had published a rejoinder from Igwe, presenting the businessman’s side of the story.