BEVERLY HILLS, January 25, (THEWILL) – A magistrate court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday discharged and dismissed the case against four of six EndSARS protesters arrested for demonstrating outside the National Assembly.
In October last year, Nigeria was swept by weeks of widespread EndSARS protests sparked by anger over brutality by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The six defendants were arrested on November 8, 2020 and charged with unlawful assembly.
Defence lawyer Henry Akwaji requested the case be dismissed because the prosecution team was absent from court on Monday.
The court agreed and dismissed the case due to a lack of diligent prosecution.
“Defendants, Olutosin Adeniji, Abdusalam Zubarur, Paul Akinwumi, and Devour Chomo are discharged and the complaint against them dismissed”, magistrate Musa Eneye ruled.
The remaining two, Yasidu Bashiru and Kabiru Garzali, were absent from court due to illness. The case against them was adjourned until March 24.