‘There Is Exam Malpractice Syndicate At Nigerian Law School,’ Witness Admits In Case Against Agba Jalingo

A former Law School Academic director, simply identified Chinaso, on Monday, inadvertently admitted in court that there is an examination malpractice syndicate at the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.

Chinaso made this known during the ongoing trial of journalist and human rights activist, Agba Jalingo.

Chinaso was in court as a witness for Elizabeth Ayade, the wife of Frank Ayade, a brother of former Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade in the case of Commissioner of Police vs Agba Jalingo.

The witness admitted under cross-examination that the law school routinely prosecute students and staff involved in examination malpractices.

The police had charged Agba Jalingo under the Cybercrime Act over his publication that someone sat the law school examination for the wife of former Governor Ayade’s brother.

A petition bordering on defamation which was filed by Mrs. Elizabeth Ayade led to the arrest of Agba Jalingo in August 2022 in Lagos.

According to Cross River Watch where Jalingo is publisher, Mrs. Elizabeth Alami Ayade, through her lawyers in Abuja – Uyi Frank Obayagbona & Co. had written to Jalingo, claiming he wrote a defamatory article about her.

She therefore demanded N500 million as compensation.

But the letter was served on August 14 with Jalingo given two weeks to delete the article and comply, or redress would be sought in court.

Jalingo had alleged that Mr. Paschal Aboh, who is currently being tried by a court in Abuja for alleged examination malpractice, took the examination in place of a prominent Obudu woman.

He further took to social media to state that Mrs. Ayade had denied reports linking her to the trial of Paschal, a law lecturer at the University of Calabar.

In April, press reported that Jalingo was freed one week after being remanded at the Medium Security Custodial Center Kuje, Abuja by Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court for alleged acts of cybercrime.

Earlier, the court granted bail to Jalingo in the defamatory trial filed against him by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.

According to a court document obtained by press and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 6, 2022, the police claimed the publication by the journalist against Elizabeth was false and was released for the purpose of causing her annoyance, ill will, and insult.

He was accused of committing offences punishable by Section 24 (1)b of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015, Court documents in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/565/2022 show.