By Udante Ugante
The Magistrate Court sitting in Bukuru today,
granted Evangelist Danjuma Goshwen Fwenji of God’s Grace Divine Mission, Jos
Plateau state, bail in the sum of 1.5 million Naira.
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| Justice Damulak, Chief Judge Plateau State |
Fwenji is standing trial for criminal enticement
brought against him by Hon. Leonard Dilkon, former Federal Law maker. When the
case was mentioned and the charges read out, the accused pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the complainant Barrister Francis Okafor then told the court that
since the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, they would go ahead to
prove their case.
Consequently, the accused through his counsel,
Chief Smart Irabor applied for bail relying on section 36 sub section 5 of the
constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended adding that it
was their submission that they will always be available for trial and further
urged the court to grant the accused bail on self-recognition.
In his submission, Okafor said he was not
objecting to the application, however, he urged the court to give the bail
condition in a way and manner that the accused would be available in court when
he is needed.
According to the counsel, this was important and
necessary for the fact that the accused has been avoiding coming to court to
clear himself of the allegations levelled against him as if he is above the law
adding that for the above reason, two bench warrants were issued against the
accused but that it has always been difficult to serve him as he always go
about with armed policemen. Okafor said that the accused demand for bail on self-recognition
was an insult on the court because according to him, the case was a direct
criminal complaint and not police prosecution where in the case of the latter,
an accused can always be traced by the police in the event he jumped bail. He
further submitted that if important personalities like the Nigerian Senate
President would produce suretees before granting bail, he wondered why the case
of the accused in this case would be an exception.
In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate Sam Galadima
said that though the issue of bail condition is at the discretion of the court,
the issue raised up by counsel to the complainant cannot be ignored because
according to him, the issue were meant to caution the court.
He therefore granted the accused bail in the sum
of N1.5 million or two suretees in like
sum who must be persons of standing and proven integrity and must also be
resident within the jurisdiction of the court. The case is adjourned to 25th
April 2017.
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