The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Mr. Jonah Okah,  former Speech Writer to the former Governor Timipre Sylva over alleged fictitious posts on Facebook.

Okah, who was arrested on Wednesday, was accused of claiming to have had a conversation with the Government House Accountant, Richard Etonye, confirming the loss of $4.6m purportedly belonging to Governor Seriake Dickson.

Confirming the arrest of Okah, who is also a lawyer,  spokesman for the State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, said the arrest was based on the petition filed by Etonye (the Government House Accountant) accusing him of criminal defamation.


 
In the petition by Etonye dated August 30, 2016, Okah was accused of making a false allegation against him, which he also publicised on his Facebook page.

The petitioner said Okah claimed that he discussed with him (Etonye) on the telephone and that he (Etonye) confessed to have absconded with the sum of $4.6m belonging to the state government.

Etonye stated, “I neither discussed with Okah as he claimed nor abscond with any money belonging to the Bayelsa State Government.

“I was with Governor Dickson at the time of Okah’s false allegation and I had travelled with my boss to Akure in Ondo State where he (Dickson) was the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary election.

“No conversation took place between Mr. Jonah Okah and myself. The whole story (allegation) is a figment of the author’s imagination, deliberately crafted to maliciously defame my person, character and ridicule my office.”

Etonye, who expressed outrage over Okah’s allegation, had therefore petitioned the police to invite and interrogate him (Okah) to prove his allegations.

He, however, requested Okah’s unreserved apology which should also be disseminated via same media he used for the false allegation against him as condition to halt litigation against him.

Etonye further requested Okah to publish the apology letter in two national newspapers and two local newspapers with a copy addressed to his professional body, the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria to clear his name of any misconduct.

But the detained Okah has vowed to continually criticise the Seriake Dickson administration despite the clampdown on him.

He stated this  in a text message he sent to journalists on Thursday from his detention cell at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yenagoa.