Popular kayanmata (aphrodisiac) seller, Hauwa Muhammed, aka Jaruma, has been admitted to bail after spending four days in a correctional centre.
Jaruma was arraigned before an Upper Area Court in the Zuba area of Abuja on Monday, January 24, 2022, for alleged defamation of character, false news publication and intimidation of politician and lawyer, Ned Nwoko, on social media.
Nwoko had accused Jaruma of publishing falsehoods on her Instagram page against him and his wife, Regina Daniels.
The judge, Ismailia Abdullahi, on Monday ruled that she should be remanded in the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing of her bail application on Friday.
At the hearing, Juruma arrived the court premises in a black hijab around 11: 20am.
Ruling on her bail application, Abdullahi said her remand should not be seen as a punishment to the defendant.
He, however, warned all parties involved in the matter to refrain from actions that could be considered prejudicial to the case.
He said, “The court did not remand her in custody as a punitive means to penalise the defendant but to make her present an answer to her case. By this, I shall quickly point out that the charge against the defendant is bailable but not ordinary.
“I hereby grant her bail on the following conditions— that the surety must be a level 12 civil servant working within the FCT. Also, all the parties involved in the case should stay from anything that would be prejudicial to the case.”
He adjourned the case till February 23 for hearing.
She, however, regained her freedom after meeting her bail conditions.
One of her lawyers, James Odibe, while addressing journalists said his client should not have been remanded, arguing that the offence committed was a bailable one. He also argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Odibe said, “The offense is a bailable one and there was no reason for her to be remanded in the first place. But the judge has granted her bail and we have perfected that.
“We have read the petition against Jaruma and the petition sounds funny and we are even of the opinion that this court lacked the jurisdiction to try these kinds of charges , we have relevant provisions to back this up.”
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