Kano Mobile Court Orders Detention Of Suspects Arrested During Protest

By Ayodele Oni

Not less than 632 persons arrested in Kano for allegedly vandalizing public properties during the nationwide Protests are to remain in prison custody till August 19.

They were arraigned before a mobile court in Kano on Tuesday  for alleged vandalism of public and government properties during the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), the defendants are charged with criminal conspiracy, theft, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbance, trespass and mischief by fire.

The mobile court held its sitting within the premises of the state police command.

The court was presided over by three senior judicial officers, including senior magistrate Ibrahim Mansur-Yola, senior magistrate Hadiza Rabiu-Bello, and chief magistrate Abba Muttaka-Dandago.

The court adjourned sitting until August 19 for a hearing.

Earlier, the state director of public prosecution (DPP), Salisu Tahir, informed the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on August 1.

He alleged that on the same date the defendants, during the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, trespassed and vandalised government and public properties in Kano.

“The defendants broke into people’s shops and looted their goods,” the DPP told the court.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provision of sections 97, 287, 229, 336, 349 and 247 of the Penal Code.

While some defendants pleaded guilty, others pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, Kano’s attorney general, Haruna Isa-Dederi, said the government constituted three mobile courts to prosecute the defendants.

Mr Isa-Dederi said, “I pleaded with the Kano state chief judge to allow the constitution of three Special Courts within the premises of the state police command because of the number of defendants involved.”

Mr Isa-Dederi noted that the case diary would be studied, and the ministry of justice would give appropriate advice before the next adjourned date.