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BY: News Peddlers
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| Nigeria First Lady Aisha Buhari And Aminu Adamu Muhammed |
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja discharged Aminu Mohammed, a final-year student at the Federal University of Dutse in Jigawa State, on Friday after the first lady, Aisha Buhari, withdrew the case against him but the relative had earlier promised to seek for damages of 2 billion from the First Lady.
Mrs. Buhari bowed to pressure and withdrew the charge against Mr. Mohammed on Friday, as DAILY NIGERIAN exclusively reported.
Mr. Mohammed was charged with defamation of character on June 8 after tweeting that the first lady had eaten poor people's money and grown fat.
According to a police report, the suspect was apprehended on 18 November 2022 at the Federal University Dutse after Mrs. Buhari directed a team of police detectives to track him down.
Mr. Muhammed was tortured and subjected to other ill-treatment, including severe beatings, prior to his arraignment in court.
In clear violation of international human rights law, he was then detained in an unknown location and denied access to his family and lawyer.
On Tuesday, after hearing the counsel's application, the presiding judge, Yusuf Halilu, ordered his remand in Suleja prison.
Mr. Mohammed's defense lawyer, Kingsley Agu, had filed an application for bail for him due to upcoming exams on December 5 and his poor health.
The bail hearing was originally scheduled for Monday, December 5, but the judge abruptly decided to hear the application on Friday, December 2, after much pressure from prosecuting and defense counsel.
On Friday, Mr. Agu stated, "My Lord, this application seeks an order of this court admitting the defendant to bail pending the determination and outcome of the case."
The prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, did not object to the application after the defense counsel submitted the written address and bail request.
"There is no opposition, my lord," Mr. Ogbobe stated.
"I'm supposed to rule on the application today?" the judge said after hearing the application. "Is that what you want?" he inquired.
"As the court sees fit. Thank you, my lord," the defense counsel replied.
Mr. Halilu then asked for a 10-minute break to write the judgment in his chamber.
"No problem, I don't want to sit here and write for 20 minutes." Allow me 10 minutes to sit in the privacy of my chamber and write.
"I will write the ruling and return to deliver it," he declared.
However, when the judge returned to his seat to rule on the bail application, the prosecuting attorney informed the court that he had another application.
He claimed that the application would have an impact on the court's decision.
"Please proceed," the judge said.
"My lord, I have another application that may have an impact on the decision of this court. My lord, after careful consideration and consultation with the complainant, in this case, the commissioner of police, we have decided to drop the charge against the defendant.
"The nominal complainant did inform us that, as the mother of the nation, she has decided to withdraw and forgive the defendant after the intervention of individuals and organizations."
"As a result, my lord, we request that the charge against the defendant in this honourable court be dropped."
To the surprise of those in the court, he submitted, "My lord, I rely on Section 108 2(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act."
"We have no objections," Mr. Agu, Mr. Mohammed's lawyer, says.
"While I consider the position of the president's wife to be most commendable," the judge said in his ruling, "I must use this opportunity to talk to us all, as parents and guardians, to learn to talk to our wards to ensure we use the media space very well. That will benefit us and not harm or injure us.
"Any sleepless night caused by a parent is a thing that causes concern, and I'm certain this era of information technology is to blame for the young man's incarceration."
"Now that the first lady has forgiven him and the complainant, the commissioner of police, has withdrawn the charge against him before me, I will wish him well by dismissing the charge and ordering his release.
"As a result, the said charge filed before me is hereby dismissed, and the defendant is discharged."
Mr. Halilu immediately signed the production warrant, which was taken to the Suleja prison on Friday evening to effect Mr. Mohammed's release.
Before the ruling on the bail application, family sources informed our correspondent who was present in court that the family would seek N2 billion in damages from Mrs. Buhari and the police for Mr. Mohammed's torture and illegal detention.
However, it is unclear whether they would follow through on their threat after the charge was dropped.
Daily Nigeria