A Chief Magistrate Court in Lokoja, on Friday, remanded a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Austin Okai, in a correctional center pending the investigations labeled against him by the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS).
Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Musa-Mopa of the Lugard Chief Magistrate Court gave the order after listening to the DSS, which arraigned the politician before him.
The DSS’s Prosecution Counsel, Izo Isaac, told the court that Okai, a former House of Representatives member for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, was being arraigned for alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation of character.
Isaac said: “Today’s arraignment of the accused is to ensure compliance with the law, by not keeping him beyond 48 hours in our custody, without the lawful permission of the court in line with the Criminal Justice System of Nigeria.
“We hereby apply to this honourable court to grant our application for reminding the accused in a correctional centre.
“This is to enable the DSS to conclude their investigations into the allegations of cyberstalking and criminal defamation leveled against Austin Okai.”
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Musa-Mopa granted the application and ordered that Okai should be kept in the custody of the Federal Correctional Center in Kabbah.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okai allegedly placed on social media that the Kogi Governor, Alh. Ahmed Ododo allegedly stole billions of naira meant for local governments in the state as well as some government agencies.
Consequently, DSS operatives picked up Okai from his residence on Wednesday.
