BREAKING: Court Sentences Edo Governorship Candidate, Gives Reason

• The YPP candidate in the last Edo governorship election, Paul Okungbowa, has been sentenced to six months in prison
• Oredo Chief Magistrate's Court sentenced the former governorship candidate after he was convicted of negligence and defamation
• The former Edo governorship candidate, who owns the Benin-based private school, Calvary Crown Academy, was sentenced alongside three teachers from his school

Paul Okungbowa, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) for the 2024 Edo governorship election, has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Oredo Chief Magistrate's Court.

The sentence comes after Okungbowa was convicted on charges of negligence and defamation for calling a pupil's mother a prostitute. This incident occurred on September 8, 2023, at the AIG Zone 5 headquarters in Benin, the Edo state capital and was deemed likely to cause a breach of peace.

Why YPP governorship candidate in prison

According to PM News, Okungbowa, the owner of Calvary Crown Academy in Benin, was sentenced to a six-month prison term or a ₦100,000 fine for negligence. Three teachers from his school, Blessing Osarodion, Egharevba Esosa, and Isioma Nimen, were also found guilty. They were charged with negligence and abandonment of two siblings, Salma and Zuri Aigbudu, which led to harm and exposure to danger.

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The court found that the teachers failed to protect six-year-old Salma, who sustained facial injuries, and didn't provide first aid. They also abandoned two-year-old Zuri in January 2022, exposing her to unnecessary danger. The teachers were sentenced to prison terms or fines ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000. The offences contravened Sections 167(2), 412, 270, and 267 of the Criminal Laws of Edo State, 2022.

Edo governor gives appointment to influential journalist

Legit.ng earlier reported that the newly sworn-in governor of Edo state, Monday Okpebholo, has announced the appointment of Arise TV presenter Suleiman Aledeh as the MD of Edo broadcasting service.

Fred Itua, the governor's chief press secretary, announced the appointment on Saturday, November 23, adding that it was with immediate effect.

Suleiman Aledeh is a seasoned international journalist, editor-at-large, strategic media, and communication consultant with over two decades of experience in broadcast journalism.