The Nigerian government on Monday arraigned 10 youths arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe for demanding good governance during a protest tagged #EndBadGovernance for trumped-up charges bordering on treasonable felony before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
While taking their pleas before the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the six counts filed against them. The defendants were brought to the court amidst tight security.
Court documents revealed that the charges were filed against 10 protesters listed as Defendants. They are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (aka Lenin), male, 28 years; Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (aka Yomi), male, 34 years; Suleiman Yakubu, male, 28 years; Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, male, 50 years; Angel Love Innocent, female, 51 years; Buhari Lawal, male, 21 years; Mosiu Sadiq, male, 28 years; Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), male, 51 years; Nuradeen Khamis, male, 47 years; and Abdulsalam Zubairu, male, 37 years.
Abubakar Marshal is appearing for the 1st-4th defendants, Hamza is appearing for the 5th defendant, Deji Adeyanju is appearing for the 6th-8th defendants and Ahmed Abdulrahaman is appearing for the 9th defendant.
Counsel to the defendants moved oral applications for bail of the accused persons.
Marshall Abubakar who stood for four of the defendants cited authorities to justify his oral application for his bail adding that the Federal High Court in the treasonable charges against a politician, MKO Abiola allowed oral application and admitted him to bail.
Abubakar told Justice Emeka Nwite that his clients were presumed innocent in law until proven otherwise by the IGP, adding also that bail is the Constitutional rights of the defendants.
Besides, the counsel submitted that the defendants had been held in custody for close to a month by police who he said, had completed investigations into the allegations against his clients before bringing them to court.
The lawyer assured the Judge that the defendants would not jump bail if granted and that they would also not tamper with witnesses in the matter.
Another lawyer, Deji Adeyanju who appeared for three of the defendants, faulted the treason charges against the defendants insisting that they only participated in a lawful and legitimate protest against hardships facing them.
Adeyanju argued that police ought to have entered the locations of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists, arrested and charged them with treason offences instead of innocent protesters.
He drew the attention of the court to the proof of evidence attached to the charges, adding that no evidence pointed to the direction of treason, mutiny and incitement as alleged by police.
Insisting that bail is discretionary, Adeyanju pleaded with the Judge to exercise his discretion in favour of the defendants by admitting them to bail in liberal terms.
However, Counsel to Police, Simon Lough SAN vehemently objected to the bail requests on the grounds of gravity of the alleged offences the accused persons were charged with.
He specifically cited mutiny aimed at changing democratic government by force through incitement and involvement of a British national against the Nigerian nation.
In a brief reaction, Justice Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja and Suleja prison in Niger State and adjourned ruling in their bail applications till September 11
Recent Comments