UPDATE: Court Remands Ganduje’s Critic In Prison

A magistrate court in Kano on Monday sent embattled former Ganduje’s aid, Muaz Magaji to prison custody.

Muaz Magaji who was billed to returns to the court February 3rd, was however granted unimpeded access to full medical attention by the court.

Ganduje’s fierce critics was arrested in Abuja last Thursday and brought to Kano in bad shape culminating in botched attempt to arraigned him last Friday.

At the formal arraignment on Monday, Hundreds of his supporters took over the court premises in protest and called for unconstitutional release of their political figure.

It took the intervention of notable public figures to calm the frayed nerves of enraged supporters on a day court process was nearly politicized.

Muaz Magaji is standing on trial for criminal defamation against his ears while boss, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The four-count charges against Magaji borders on defamation of character, intentional insult, injurious falsehood and inciting disturbance against the governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

When the charges, which contravened Sections 392, 399 and 114 of the Administration of Criminal Justice of Kano State 1999, were read to him by the prosecution counsel, W.A Wada, Mr Magaji pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The prosecution counsel therefore applied for adjournment in order to present his case.

But the defense counsel, Gazzali Ahmad, applied for bail of his client on health ground, citing Sections 168, 172 and 174 of the Administration of Criminal Justice of Kano State 1999.

The prosecution, however, opposed the bail application on the grounds that the defence counsel did not tender sufficient evidence to prove his client’s alleged debilitating health condition.

Mr Wada further said granting Mr Magaji bail will encourage the youths to defame the character of people.

When the magistrate asked Mr Magaji whether he knew the meaning of defamation of character, the former commissioner answered in the negative.

But the magistrate countered the accused, saying in the First Information Report, FIR, he is being accused of posting Mr Ganduje’s picture with a lady, which the prosecutors see as portraying the governor of having extra-marital affairs with other ladies.

The magistrate therefore ordered that he be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to February 3, 2022 for ruling on the bail application.
Mr Magaji was first arraigned on Friday January 28, but failed to take plea due to alleged loss of hearing he suffered.

Mr Magaji’s lawyer, Gazzali Ahmad, had argued that his client temporarily lost hearing owing to aural injuries he sustained after airbag discharge.
Independent ng

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