By Alex Enumah
Six Abuja residents arrested for participating in the #Endsars protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yesterday admitted to bail by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in the Wuse Area of Abuja.
Magistrate Musa Eneye granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 each to the six defendants, while delivering ruling in their bail application.
The six defendants were arraigned last Friday by the FCT Commissioner of Police on a one-count charge bordering on alleged public disturbance.
They include; Olutosin Adeniji, Yasidu Bashiru, Abdulsalam Zubairu, Kabiru Garzali, Paul Akinwumi and Devour Chomo.
They were arrested on November 6, while on a #endsars protest at the entrance of the National Assembly.
According to the First Information Report, the defendants were wearing T-shirts and other inscription of #RevolutionNow.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge read against.
However, move by their lawyer, Mr. Tope Akiyode, to orally argue their bail application was rejected with the judge ordering their remand at the Suleja Correctional Center, pending the hearing of their formal bail application fixed for November 11, 2020.
Arguing the bail application of the defendants yesterday, Akiyode told the court that the defendants have been in custody since their arrest on November 6.
He further submitted that the offence the defendants were charged with is bail-able, adding that the defendants are entitled to bail.
The defendants’ lawyer therefore urged the court to release the defendants on bail on the most liberal terms, adding that they will not jump bail and will be available for their trial.
Although the bail applications with the affidavit evidence were served on the legal department of the FCT Police Command, there was however no legal representation for the complainant when the matter was called and neither was any excuse offered for the absence.
In his ruling, the Magistrate agreed with the submissions of Akiyode and admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N50, 000 each with a surety in like sum.
The Magistrate added that the surety must have source of income and must submit passport photograph of means of identifications to the Registrar of the court.
He adjourned the case till January 25, 2021, for trial to begin.
