A total of 38 persons allegedly involved in a protest after the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed Governor Abdullahi Sule as the lawful winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Nasarawa State, have been granted bail by the Court.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital presided by Mohammed Lanze granted the bail following the legal intervention by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Labaran Magaji when the motionon on bail application was heard on Thursday.
Labaran Magaji urged the Magistrate Court to grant the all the defendants bail as the offences leveled against them were bailable in the interest of justice but prayed the Court to give stringent conditions to enable them always appear before the court when needed to face trail.
Counsel to the defendants, Baba Ayiwulu expressed appreciation to the State Attorney General and appealed to the Court to review downwards the bail conditions to make it easier for the defendants who are mostly women farmers to meet them.
The Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Lanze granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N2million each with a surety who must be a Director in the service of the State or Federal government, among other conditions.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police had arraigned the 38 defendants on four counts charges of unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy, disturbance of public peace and mischief by fire.
The case was adjourned to the 27th of February, 2024 for commencement of trial.
Editor: Ken Eseni