A Federal High Court in Kano has granted bail to the tune of N500 million to Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who was remanded before a magistrate court on charges of arson and murder.
Doguwa was arrested by the police in Kano following violence that led to deaths and arson in Tudun Wada local government at the February 25 presidential and national assembly election.Â
The lawmaker was docked before a magistrate court alongside others for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, arson, and illegal possession of firearms, among others.
But counsel to the accused, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), applied for an ex parte order before Justice Muhammad Nasir Yunusa to grant the accused bail based on an alleged infringement of his fundamental human rights and the absence of jurisdiction by the magistrate court that had remanded him.
Jimoh contended that since the accused was charged with culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms, the magistrate court lacked jurisdictional powers to remand Doguwa.
Justice Muhammad Nasir Yunusa, upon hearing the application, granted the bail with the condition that the suspect must provide two sureties, one of which shall be a first-class traditional ruler and the other must be a permanent secretary at the federal or state civil service.
The judge ordered that the suspect deposit his travel documents with the court registry, which can be released upon request if needed for travel. The documents must be resubmitted upon return from the journey.
The Court further ruled that the lawmaker shall desist from visiting his constituency during the forthcoming gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections.
Daily Trust
