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National coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party National Youth Frontier (PDPNYF), Comrade Austin Usman Okai has been charged to court today for inciting public against Kogi State government.
Okai was arrested in Abuja on Sunday by officers of the anti-robbery squad (SARS), whisked to Lokoja same day. He was taken back to Abuja yesterday and brought back to Lokoja. He was arraigned in Magistrate Court this morning.
He was charged for inciting the public against government of Kogi state, causing disappearance of handset and other evidences, conspired with some criminals to bomb the recently commissioned Kogi Revenue House and publication of false articles on social media to embarrass Governor Yahaya Bello and his cabinet. He was also accused of publishing the rumor of death of Governor Bello during the one year anniversary.
When the charges were read to him he pleaded not guilty.
The State counsel argued that the Magistrate court has no power to hear the matter and thus no power to grant bail but his position was countered by Okai’s counsel, Barrister Alewo, stating that the 1987 authority relied upon by the state counsel has been overtaken by a more recent case. Alewo’s submission was just upheld by the trial magistrate.
Alewo argued that the State government who brought the case to court cannot turn around to say the same court has no jurisdiction. He posited that the power to grant bail is absolutely at the discretion of the Magistrate.
“The state counsel himself addressed the accused as a youth leader of one of the two biggest political party in Nigeria and also a publisher of information that are read by unquantifiable audience. This buttressed the fact that he is a public figure thus can never jump bail if granted,” he said.
The court refused him bail and ordered he should be remanded in police custody. Then the case was adjoined to Thursday 13th April for mention.
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