7 Shi’ia members granted bail after a day in detention

A magistrates’ court in Karu, Abuja, on Friday granted seven members of the Shi’ia sect bail of N100,000 each on three-count charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and inciting public peace – offences deemed a contravention of sections 97, 102 and 114 of the penal code.

The defendants – Ibrahim Dogo, Khadija Mohammed, Rukaiya Salisu, Mohammed Habib, Aminu Sani, Leminu Sani and Aisha Ameen – were arraigned for the same offences.

Abubakar Umaru, the magistrate, granted the defendants a bail with two reliable and reasonable sureties each in like sum. He said the sureties must be civil or public servants with a grade level of 8 and above.

Umaru also said the sureties must live within the jurisdiction of the court and their addresses must be verified by the officer of the court. He said they must submit their passport photographs and national identity cards with the court.

Patrick Ogele, the state prosecutor, had earlier told the court the defendants were arrested by Nwakeme Ezenwa, a chief superintendent of police, at Dakwa Road in Deidei, along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway on Thursday.

He said Ezenwa, a police officer attached to the Zuba FCT police command, reported the matter to the FCT commissioner of police.

Ogele added that the defendants were arrested after they converged on the road, holding up two large brand new posters with the face of the Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Shi’ia sect.

“The defendants gathered with a common intention of going into the city, and specifically to the court premises where the trial of their leader was ongoing,” he said.

“The intention of the defendants was to storm the court premises and disturb public peace. During police investigations, the defendants could not give a satisfactory explanation and only identified themselves as members of the Shi’ia group.”

He urged the court not to grant bail to the defendants, based on the nature of their offences and prevailing circumstances of their arrest.

“The court also needs to consider the activities of the group in the country and the fact that the defendants are all residents of Kaduna state,” he had said.

Bala Adukwu, counsel to the defendants, prayed the court to grant his clients bail on liberal terms and since they were resident in the country.

After listening to the charges, the seven defendants all pleaded not guilty and the matter was adjourned till Oct. 26 for hearing.