Court discharges 2 men accused of robbery for lack of evidence
An FCT High Court in Maitama yesterday discharged and acquitted two men accused of conspiracy and armed robbery by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police. The trial judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, held that the continuous detention of the two amounted to a “gross violation” of their right since the police failed to […]
An FCT High Court in Maitama yesterday discharged and acquitted two men accused of conspiracy and armed robbery by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police.
The trial judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, held that the continuous detention of the two amounted to a “gross violation” of their right since the police failed to enter appearance for the prosecution of their case against the two.
The Chief Judge of the FCT had directed the two, Saidu Bello and Obinna Ogba, to be brought to court during his visit to Keffi prisons.
The CJ was told that Bello had been in prison custody since 2016 without any case filed against them at any court.
Bello, 23, who spoke to Daily Trust in Hausa after his acquittal, said he was arrested by men of SARS in June, 2016 at Bwari after he came out of the mosque where he had gone to perform his Juma’at prayer.
He said he was detained for five months in SARS’ cell before he was transferred to Keffi prisons, adding that he was a herder before his arrest.
Similarly, Ogba, 23, said he was arrested in June, 2015 when he was returning from church around 4pm at Wuye District of Abuja.
He said he was kept in SARS custody for eight months before he was taken to Keffi prisons. He said he met with Bello while they were both in SARS custody, adding that he was shocked when they were told that they were being charged for conspiracy and armed robbery because prior to meeting Bello in the cell, he had never met him.
He said all through their stay in custody and later in prison, there was a communication gap between him and Bello because Bello only understood Hausa while he spoke only English and Igbo languages.
Counsel representing the two freed inmates, Barrister David Idris of Jibrin S. Okutepa (SAN) law firm said the matter was taken up on pro-bono in line with the firm’s resolve to contribute to the administration of criminal justice.
He said when the matter was enlisted in court for hearing, there was neither an investigating police officer nor any official complaint against the two freed inmates. He said it was amusing that two individuals arrested on different circumstances and different years could be remanded in prison without charge.