Public disturbance: Court rejects Sule Lamido application insist on jurisdiction

THE magistrate court II, sitting in Dutse, Jigawa state yesterday, denied the former Jigawa state governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido application filed to thrash the case of four count charges against him, on the ground of lack of jurisdiction by the court to entertain the case before the court since June.

The Chief Magistrate, presided by the magistrate Mohammed Usman Lamin, in his ruling over the application by the depending counsel filed last Monday, rejected the argument by the accuse person that the Attorney General of the state has no power in this case as provided in section 393 of penal code, arguing that according the FIR of the case, the former governor, was arraigned for inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, defamation of character and criminal intimidation contrary to section 144, 113, 397 and 372 of Jigawa state penal code not in accordance to section 393 of the penal code.

He rejected the application to trash the case against the former governor, arguing that the counsel of the defendant could not convince the court based on evidence provided, that the trial was an abuse of court procedures.

Mohammed Usman Lamin also dismissed the submission of the counsel of the defendant, that the four charges were inter-woven and that if one was thrashed the rest should also be thrashed saying, all the charges were made under different sections of the law and that they were in defendant of each other.

The counsel of the defendant, Barrister Yakubu Ruba, who was not pleased with the judgment said, his client would appeal against the judgment.

The Chief Magistrate, therefore adjourned the case to October, 11 for hearing.

Alhaji Sule Lamido was arraigned for on four count charges of inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, defamation of character and criminal intimidation which are contrary to section 144, 113, 397 and 372 of Jigawa state penal code.