Blasphemy : Kano Magistrate court reject bail application for accused persons

By Ibrahim Shuaibu

A Kano Chief Magistrate court sitting in Kano on Tuesday turned down a bail request for five suspects accused of murdering a 74-year-old trader, Mrs Bridget Agbahime, on June 2, 2016, at the popular Kofar Wambai market in the commercial city of Kano.

When the case came up for hearing, counsel for the defendants, Barrister Gambo Abdulsalam, argued that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the case on the grounds of determining the murder case against the five accused persons, namely, Ahmed Dauda; Abdullahi Mustapha; Zubairu Abubakar; Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Abdulllahi.

After citing numerous cases to buttress his argument, Barrister Abdulsalam pleaded with the court to either remand or to release the five accused persons on bail, depending on the jurisdiction of the court.

Gambo said: “FIR is simply an allegation and it is not sufficient to hold on to somebody, It amounts to nothing but just an information “.

Furthermore, he argued that in making judicial decision, sentiments have no place in court, stressing that it is a matter of hard facts and law.

In his response, the Police counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Ekwe Sunday, vehemently opposed the bail application of the Defence Counsel, arguing that the case is an established capital offence, which investigation has already been completed, hence the arraignment of the accused persons.