- Kebbi Court Arraign Director, 2 Others for Alleged Beating Chief Magistra
Magistrate Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State has arraigned a Director in the state Ministry for Higher Education, Aliyu Shehu Jega and two others, Yahaya Badaru and Murtala Surajo for allegedly beating the Chief Magistrate of Court 3 in Birnin Kebbi Chief Magistrate Umar Salisu Kokani.
Hearing on the case was opened at the Magistrate Court (1) in Birnin Kebbi with the three principal suspects in attendance.
Reading their charges, the court clerk said, the suspects sometimes in September were arrested by the police for criminal offences.
In his submission, Police Prosecution Officer, Jubril Abba, appealed to the court for postponement of the case arguing that, witnesses in the case are not available and that they just collected the case file to prepare their defence before the court.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Danyaro, in his submission said, the offences the suspects are being charged for are criminal consipracy and assault against a chief Magistrate.
According to the council, what transpired as the first information report was that, in September this year, Chief Magistrate Umar Salisu Kokani, was at the Ministry for Higher Education in Birnin Kebbi, while performing ablution, one of the suspects approached him and argument ensued between them but as he made to go one of the suspects, a Director in the ministry slapped him and two others joined in beating the magistrate.
“This case is about justice. The judge is on grade level 16 and chief magistrate of court 3 in kebbi State. If he could be treated this way what will happen to common people”.
“This is not the first time judges are being attacked in kebbi State. Sometimes a judge was killed in his house in Birnin Kebbi. All what we want in this case is justice for the Magistrate”, he said.
Having sought the consent of parties in the case on appeal of the police prosecutor for the postponement of the case, Magistrate Hassan Kwaido adjourned the case to 28 of November for further hearing.
Abdullahi Tukur
