Subsidy March: 24 Protesters Detained By Police Arraigned In Kano

KANO, January 19, (THEWILL) - 24  persons arrested during the fuel subsidy removal protests in Kano were charged Thursday on 3 counts before the Magistrate court in Kano presided over Bashir Abdullahi Sufi.
 
Police prosecutor, Inspector Bashir Abubakar told the court that Abubakar Rashi and 23 others were caught rioting, setting up fires and causing grievous hurt to the members of the public which he said violated section 306, 32 252 of the Penal Code.
 
The accused persons however denied the charges and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out.
 
Defence lawyer to all the accuse persons who is also Kano State Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Barrister Abdurrazaq Aikawa alongside 14 other lawyers represented the accused persons.
 
After the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, Mr. Aikawa moved an application for bail citing section 36 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and section 34 (A), (B), (C) and section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
 
He told the court that the offence is bailable, stressing that if the prayer is granted by the court the accused persons will not jump bail or tamper with police investigation on the matter.
 
But the police prosecutor, Inspector Bashir Abubakar opposed the bail application on the pretext that if the prayer is granted the accused will interfere with police investigation.
 
However, ruling on the application, Magistrate Bashir Abdullahi Sufi granted the bail application on condition that, N100, 000 be placed on each of the accused persons and two reliable sureties to stand for each of them. The two sureties must be village heads and civil servants from Grade Level 7 to above.
 
The case was thereafter adjourned till the January 31, 2012 for further mention.