Yakubu Busari
A central Area Court 1, sitting at Kasuwa Nama of Jos North LGA, on Wednesday, granted bail to 13 Youth corps members for alleged criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and attempt to commit an offense punishable with imprisonment, idle person, and vagabond.
The judge granted bail application to the thirteen (13) corps members serving in Jos North Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday filing a formal bail application by defense counsel.
All the 13 defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to 6 count charges, including conspiracy member of unlawful assembly, attempted to commit an offense punishable with imprisonment idle, among others, linked to their alleged crime under sections 59,66,57,384 and 385 of the Plateau state penal code of 2017 and section 37(4) of the Plateau state anti-land grabbing, kidnapping, cultism and related offenses law 2020.
Ruling on the bail applications of 13 of the defendants, the trial judge, Mohammed Lawal, granted bail to them in the sum of N5 million each.
The prosecuting lawyer did not oppose the bail applications moved by the defendant’s lawyer, Barr. Yusuf Ali
As part of conditions for bail, which they must fulfill to be released, the judge ordered that the defendants must produce two sureties each, and the Igbo Welfare Community Leader, Chief Achi Chijioke through his counsel, Barr Yusuf Ali got their bail and the matter adjourned to 27th September 2022 for hearing.
The judge also directed that sureties for the defendants must be responsible citizens, and one of them must possess a landed property in Plateau state with a verified certificate of occupancy.
The defendants were arrested on the 15/8/22 at about 1100hhrs and transferred to SCID Jos for prosecution on the 13/8/2022 at about 07400hrs, while the OC anti-kidnapping and team of OC anti-Cult & team, DPO Laranto, DPO Rantya including hunters association raided a criminal hideout on him around ECWA staff school Jos.
According to the charge, after a distress call of the alleged kidnapping incident found and arrested the following persons; Nnamdi Victor, Solomon Ojobo , Deborah’s Eden, Bulus Emmanuel, Wisdom Sadiq Sani,Alagi Johnson, Ezeaputa Chigozie, Nnanyelnao Chigozie, Augustine Ogbole, Eze Chwuemeka, Ishaya Ayuba, Mannaseh Amba and Omoabak Daniel, who were charge of unlawful assembly conspired amongst themselves and assembly in a manner that causes fear in the neighborhood with the intention to commit crime hence their arrest.
However, the police investigation revealed that the suspects are members of unlawful assembly.
