By Adeola Ajakaiye, in Kano
Report from Kano State, North West Nigeria says, as the leadership crisis rocking the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industries, and Agriculture (KACCIMA) deepens, a Megistrate court in Kano, has granted the former vice president of the Chamber bail, over an allegation of inciting public disturbance, and forgery.
Alhaji Abdulaziz Sabitu, the immediate past VP Agriculture of the chamber, was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police, after honouring an invitation from the force, over an alleged incitement of members of the public against the council of the chamber, last week.
The accuse who have been in custody of the police since Thursday was, however, granted bail by senior Megistrate, Farouk Ibrahim Umar, in Kano, on Monday.
Sabitu, who is the spokesperson of a faction of KACCIMA, known as ‘Concerned Stakeholders” opposed to the council of the chamber as constituted presently, was arraniged before the Court also on the allegation of “colluding” with some staff of the chamber to stop the operation of the accounts of the chamber.
Our Correspondent reports that before granting the bail, Justice Umar, had listened to the charges brought against the defendant by the police prosecutor, S.S. Umar, as well as, the response from the defendant’s lawyer, Mustapha Oseni.
The prosecutor, in his presentation to the court argued that the defendant, last week addressed a press conference during which “he incited thugs to invade the premises of the Chamber, as well as forged the letter head of the chamber”, which was used to write a letter to the Chamber’s banker, calling for the suspension of the operations of the account of the chamber.
Read Also: Kano State Government Warns Against Illegal Felling Of Trees
According to the prosecutor the two charges are punishable under the Nigerian legal system, and carries jail term of up to seven years.
The defendant was asked if the allegations were true, and he said they were false.
Responding to the prosecutor’s presentations to the court, the defendant’s lawyer, argued that his client has been in police custody for over four days now, and pleaded that since the charges, are bailable offences, the judge should commit him to bail.
After listening to the representations from both parties, Megistrate Umar, asked the defendant, if he was married, and whether his parents are still alive, the two factors he put into consideration before going ahead to commit him to a bail.
The defendant was committed to a bail at the sum of N20 million, with 2 sureties, who must deposit their passport photographs, and one of the sureties must also own a landed property and title of the property should be deposited with the register of the court.
Share your thoughts on the STORY with Nigerian Kicker in the comments section
