189 Shiite Members Remanded In Prison

Some 189 Shiite members, who thought they could be granted bail on Wednesday, had their hopes dashed, as a Kaduna Magistrate Court remanded them in prison.

The members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria were arrested during the December 12, 2015 clash with the army in Zaria.

The bloody clash reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.  Already a 13-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry had been set up by the Kaduna State Government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the cause of the clash.

After the clash, police arrested over 190 suspects whom the police said were arrested for various offences.

At the hearing on Wednesday, the Magistrate Court, however, granted bail to four Shiite minors with the sum of 100,000 Naira each and two reliable sureties who will deposit valid means of identification.

The prosecutor, Bayero Dari, told the court that the Shiite members should be remanded in prison pending the report of arms and ammunition recovered from them Dari further told the court that the weapons had been sent to Lagos for forensic analysis.

He said the test of the analysis was almost completed, explaining that the delay of experts’ report was due to large weapons recovered from the suspects which would be used as evidence when the trial begins.

The prosecutor said: “The large arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects caused the delay of expert report which will be used as evidence against them during trial.

“Our investigations almost completed. Police has already granted administrative bail to women and young offenders. Police handed them over to a credible sureties who will at any time provide them in court. We are for justice and we will not object granting bail to young offenders”.

On his part, lawyer to the Shiites, Useni Ibrahim, who applied for bail application of minors among the suspects, said they would meet the bail conditions and urged the court to begin trial of the suspects.

However, in his ruling, Chief Magistrate Auwal Musa-Aliyu, who granted the bail to the minors said all other suspects should be remanded in prison.

He said: “The young offenders are hereby granted bail with the sum of 100,000 Naira. He must provide two sureties and one must be his blood relations.

“Each surety must deposit two size passports and one of the following; staff identity card, driver’s license, international identity card or voters card.

He adjourned the case till March 29 for mentioning.