Defamation: Court remands governorship candidate

The Young Progressive Party (YPP) candidate for Edo State governorship election, Paul Okungbowa, has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Oredo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The court found him guilty of defamation and negligence.

Okungbowa, who owns Calvary Crown Academy, a private school in Benin, was convicted for calling a parent, Mrs. Blessing Aigbudu, a prostitute in front of her husband and others during an incident in September 2023.

The court ruled that his actions were capable of inciting public disorder. However, the sentence includes an option of a ₦100,000 fine.

Three of the school’s teachers, Blessing Osarodion, Egharevba Esosa, and Isioma Nimen, were also found guilty of negligence and endangering the welfare of pupils.

One of the pupils, Salma Aigbudu, suffered facial injuries in September 2021 while waiting in the school’s reception area.

The teachers were accused of failing to provide first aid.

Another child, Zuri Aigbudu, was reportedly abandoned in January 2022, exposing the toddler to risks.

The teachers received varying sentences, ranging from three months to one year, with options for fines between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000.

These offences violate multiple sections of the Edo State Criminal Laws, including child protection provisions.