Lagos State judicial panel on Friday kicked against false and misleading reportage of the panel proceedings of Saturday 5th June as published in some newspapers, online medium and other media.
Mr. Olukayode Enitan (SAN) counsel to Lagos State government called the panel attention to misleading and misrepresentation of the panel proceedings by some media stations and online publications.
He described the reports as embarrassing and scandalous.
The learned counsel enjoined the panel to caution the media not to resort to sensationalism but to report accurately the panel proceedings.
The panel Chairman Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd.), also said the reportage of the panel proceedings of that day which she read and even online, was a great injustice to what transpired and is a misrepresentation of the truth.
The panel expressed its disappointment and anger over the misrepresentation of what actually transpired at the panel sitting when the forensic pathologist gave his testimony of the autopsy conducted on 99 corpses.
“He clearly stated that only 3 of the corpses were labeled as EndSARS Lekki with no names having been recovered by LASAMBUS from the Lekki area of Lagos,” Justice Doris said.
She emphasized that the pathologist revealed when autopsy was conducted on the corpses, no bullets or pellets were found on any of the 3 corpses.
The panel said some of the reportage of Saturday 5th June 2021 proceedings with misleading headlines like “We conducted autopsy on 99 Lekki EndSARS protesters corpses” was false and a misrepresentation of what actually transpired.
Justice Doris noted that the misleading reportage of the panel proceedings was a great disservice to its assignment and urged the media to be objective and report proceedings accurately without bias and ill motive.
She also called the attention of one of the EndSARS counsel Mrs. Morakinyo Fawehinmi and enjoined her to bring to the notice of her lead counsel Olumide Fusika (SAN), the embarrassing conduct of Miss Sarah Ibrahim.
Justice Doris said the witness while still testifying has been granting press interviews and misrepresenting what transpired at the panel on that day with various misleading headlines.
The panel was particularly angry that the witness while still giving testimony has gone ahead to grant press interviews.
Justice Doris said it is inappropriate and overreaching because the panel is still sitting and her conduct amounts to contempt of the panel proceedings.
The panel enjoined the media to report accurately on the panel proceedings and not bring the work of the panel to ridicule in the eyes of the Nigerian public and the world at large with misleading reportage and sensationalism of lies.
