Court grants 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters bail

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, granted 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters bail.

The judge granted the protesters bail after hearing the defence lawyers’ application and the prosecution’s submission.

Two separate charges were brought before Justice Egwuatu by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

In the first 10-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/503/2024, 76 defendants were listed while in the four-count charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/527/2024, 43 persons were listed as defendants.

In all 119 persons were charged by the prosecution for their alleged involvement in the protest which took place across the country in August.

However, a total of 114 were later arraigned due to the ill-health of five of the children among the defendants.

Four out of the 76 defendants in the first charge collapsed in open court when the trial commenced on Friday.

The quartet were Usman Fatihu (21), Muhammed Yahaya (14), Muktar Ishak Alhassan (16) and Mustapha Ibrahim (18).

The incident made Justice Egwuatu abruptly stand down the trial for about 40 minutes before the court reconvened.

In the second charge containing 43 defendants, one of them equally had a health challenge.

READ ALSO: Four #EndBadGovernance protesters slump in court

Audu Garba, who was the prosecution’s lawyer, prayed the court to discharge five of the defendants who had health issues.

Garba said they would be re-arraigned once they recover following medical treatment.

Justice Egwuatu then struck out their names from the charges after the application by the lawyer.

After the charge was read to the first 72 defendants, they pleaded not guilty, allowing their legal team to apply for bail.

The prosecution said the bail remains the discretion of the court irrespective of relevant laws.

In his ruling, the judge observed that some of the defendants were under 18 years old, and their lawyers had promised not to interfere with the trial or destroy evidence.

He also observed that the prosecution did not contest the defendants’ application for bail.

Justice Egwuatu, who granted the defendants bail in the sum of N10 million each, ordered them to provide two sureties each in the like sum.

The defendants, according to him, must be a civil servant and a parent or sibling of the defendants.

He ordered the adults to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre and the minors in the Borstal Home of the Correctional Service.

The judge then adjourned the matter till January 24, 2025, for commencement of trial.

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