Nigerian Newsday

By Ibrahim Garba, Kano

A Kano High court presided over by Justice Usman Na'abba, declared that it may grant bail to the deposed district head of Gabasawa, Alhaji Aminu Babba DanAgundi, and one other person,  Alhaji Dan Bello Aminu, who were  standing trial over the alleged murder of Hajiya Sa'adatu Rimi, on the strength that the character of evidence submitted against them by the prosecution were too weak.

"The character of evidence against the suspects as submitted by the prosecution are too weak and based on the  provision of the law, I think it is a proper case for me to exercise my descretion for  bail in favour of the applicants ", said the judge.

Justice Na'abba, pointed out that although judges have the liberty to grant an accused a bail, or not  however, while exercising that descretion they should not close their eyes on the provision of the  law.

"In granting bail as submitted by the learned defence counsels  while supporting his argument, the nature of the offence, the severity of punishment upon conviction and above all the character of evidence against the accused must be looked into ", he advanced.

In particular, the judge averred that he considered cogency of the quality of evidence against the applicants by the prosecution to which the defence drew the attention of the court in butressing their points for the granting of their prayer for bail.

Justice Na'abba, said the court, having listened to all the two parties in their argurement for and or against the applicaton, has  the duty to marry the two together and strike a balance so that at the end of it, it would be justice for all.

"Having said this, "said Na'abba" I have come to the conclusion that I have to defer my ruing on the bail pending the commencement of the trial."

Shortly after the judge's ruling, the defence counsel in their remaks thanked him for summoning the courage to grant their application despite upholding the proper ronouncement untill after the full commencement of trial.

Mr. M. N. Duru, counsel to the applicants, said in particular that the judge desrve a commendation for what e descibed as a spectacular courage in the matter.

Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr. M. N. Duru, told the court that, a bail application for the 2nd and 5th accused persons Alhaji Aminu Babba DanAgundi ad Alhaji Dan Bello Aminu have been pending for ruling by the court and the prosecution counsel represented by Shuaiu Sulaiman said they have no objection to it.

Meanwhile, one of the accused person, Alhaji Aminu Babba DanAgundi, the deposed district head of Gabasawa, yesterday, told the court that his arrest and subsequent arraignment before the court was pre-arranged for political reasons.

He said this when their pleas were taken, saying, he never met, saw or spoke with the principal suspect, Mustapha Rimi, let alone conniving and or agree to kill the late house wife. "My lord I want to say categorically that my being here is for political reason, and how I wish the AG is ere today to let him hear it himself".

All the seven accused persons in court denied the allegation, including Mustapha the Rimi's nephew who in his confessional statement to the police disclosed how he single handedly killed the woman.