A Kano Magistrates court presided over by Senior Magistrate Aminu Gabari, has ordered the remand of Abdulmaji Danbilki kwamanda, an ardent critic of the State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, on radio programmes.
Kwamanda was remanded over allegations of inciting public disturbance and falsehood to injurious comments against the personality of the governor.
Dan Bilki Kwamanda was a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari before they parted ways.
Reading over the First Information Report, the Prosecution Counsel, alleged that Danbilki during his radio program, alleged that Ganduje bribed the National Caretaker Chairman of All Progressive Congress, Mai Mala Buni, in order to facilitate the issuance of certificate to Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas as Kano Chairman of the party.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravened sections 392 and 393 of the Penal Code Law.
After reading over the First Information Report, Danbilki pleaded not guilty to the content.
Thereafter Defense counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Abdullahi Chedi, who prayed the court to admit his client to bail relied on sections 35, (5), 36 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and sections 168 and 178 of Adminstration of Criminal Justice Law, (ACJL) 2019 of Kano State.
Barrister Chedi maintained that the defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty by the court.
”We have reasonable sureties if the court grant our prayer. These offenses are bailable and you have the discretionary power to grant our application.
In his response, the Kano State Counsel Barrister Wada Ahmad Wada, urged the court to discountenance the application to admit kwamanda to bail.
”If the alleged offences proven guilty the punishment exceeded 3 years jail terms. Before granting bail application, the Judge is urged to consider the following:
“Nature of the offence alleged to have been committed, punishment attached, prevalence of the offense in the society and likely of the defendant to commit another offence while on bail.
“It is obvious that the offense is prevalence and people don’t respect leaders or elders, I urged the court to so hold.”
Gabari, however, ordered the prosecution to provide the court with case diary to enable him study it before giving his ruling on the bail application by the defense counsel.
He consequently adjourned the case to March 15, for ruling on bail application and ordered the remand of Kwamanda in a correctional facility.
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