The management of THISDAY Newspapers Limited said it has suspended two of its deputy editors, Mr. Yemi Ajayi and Mr. Olawale Olaleye, over a recent story indicating that the presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church, otherwise known as Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo, was denied visa by the United States Embassy in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that the United States Embassy in Nigeria as well as Living Faith Church had promptly denied claims in the story.
While the Embassy described claim as outright falsehood, the Living Faith Church on its part said Oyedepo had an existing visa and did not leave the Otta, Ogun State headquarters of his church on the day the newspaper claimed he was involved at the ‘visa drama’ at the Embassy.
“Following the rebuttal, the newspaper management investigated the publication and found that the two deputy editors failed to follow its well established traditions of carrying out the necessary checks and confirmations expected of personnel of their status in a sensitive story of that nature.
“They were, therefore, suspended indefinitely,” the management of THISDAY Newspapers said.
The newspaper also said it had on Saturday published a Corrigendum, acknowledging the error in the publication, and apologised to the revered Bishop for the embarrassment the story might have caused him.
