The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted bail to Alhassan Ado Doguwa, majority leader of the House of Representatives.
Following widespread violence that led to deaths and arson in the Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano during last week’s election, the police had arraigned Doguwa before a Magistrate’s Court on charges of arson and murder.
The lawmaker was arraigned for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, arson and illegal possession of firearms among others.
But the counsel for the accused, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), applied for an exparte order before Justice Muhammad Nasir Yunusa to grant the accused bail based on alleged infringement of his fundamental human rights and absence of jurisdiction by the Magistrate’s Court that had remanded the accused.
Jimoh contended that since the accused was charged with culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms, a Magistrate’s Court lacked jurisdictional power to remand Doguwa.
Upon hearing the application, Justice Yunusa granted him bail with the condition that the suspect must provide two sureties, one of which shall be a first-class traditional ruler while the other must be a permanent secretary at the federal or state civil service.
