Chief Magistrate Caroline Oghuma of the Oredo Magisterial District has sentenced Paul Okugbowa, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate in the September 2024 Edo State governorship election, to six months imprisonment or a fine of ₦100,000. Okugbowa was convicted for defaming a married woman, Mrs. Blessing Aigbudu, by publicly calling her a prostitute.
The incident occurred on September 8, 2023, at the AIG Zone 5 headquarters in Benin City. Okugbowa, 39, proprietor of Calvary Crown Academy, reportedly made the defamatory statement in the presence of Mrs. Aigbudu’s husband and others, an act deemed likely to breach public peace.
Three teachers from Calvary Crown Academy were also sentenced for negligence and abandonment of pupils in their care, which resulted in harm to two children.
- Blessing Osarodion, 27, and Egharevba Esosa, 29: Each received a one-year jail term or an option of ₦100,000 fine for negligence on two counts.
- Isioma Nimen, 35: Sentenced to three months imprisonment or a fine of ₦50,000 for abandoning a two-year-old pupil.
The offences contravened sections 167(2), 412, 270, and 267 of the Criminal Laws of Edo State 2022.
- Negligence Leading to Harm: On September 29, 2021, six-year-old pupil Salma Aigbudu suffered a facial injury at the school’s waiting room during closing hours. The teachers failed to provide first aid.
- Child Abandonment: In January 2022, two-year-old Zuri Aigbudu was abandoned, exposing her to unnecessary danger.
The convicts were first arraigned on June 2, 2024. During the trial, the court found that the teachers neglected their responsibilities, leading to harm and abandonment of the pupils under their care.
The case underscores the importance of accountability in educational institutions and the legal consequences of defamation and negligence. The ruling also highlights the judiciary’s commitment to protecting the rights of children and upholding public dignity.
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