A Gombe State High Court has granted bail to Bala Sani, 47, an Abuja-based businessman that was detained after he allegedly criticised Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration.
Daily Trust had reported how Sani was whisked away from his POS stall in Abuja and brought to Gombe where he was arraigned on a two-count charge.
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It was gathered that he consistently criticised Governor Yahaya and wrote petitions to challenge one of the policies of the administration.
The accused person was first arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court 5 on March 21, where the two-count charge of malicious falsehood and inciting disturbance were slammed against him.
He, however, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody by Chief Magistrate Babayo Abba Usamatu.
The court later granted him bail, but the stringent condition imposed made it impossible for the accused person to regain his freedom.
He was ordered to bring as sureties, two serving permanent secretaries in the state or two district heads, a development that kept him behind the bars for over two months.
Not satisfied with the bail condition, his lawyer, Haruna Luka, approached the court and sought a review of the bail condition.
During the first court sitting on May 5, the presiding judge, Justice Abdulhamid Yakubu, adjourned the case to May 24, in order to rule on the bail application.
At the resumption of the court sitting on Monday, Justice Yakubu reviewed the previous Magistrates’ court bail condition and granted the accused person a fresh bail with lenient conditions.
The judge ordered him to bring as sureties, a blood relative and a prominent person from his local government area of origin.
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