AGBA JALINGO: COURT SETS FRIDAY FOR RULING ON BAIL
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| Agbajalingo (left). |
By Jonathan Ugbal
A Federal High Court
sitting in Nigeria’s southern port city of Calabar and presided over by Justice
Simon Amobeda has set Friday, October 4, 2019 for its ruling on the bail
application for journalists and rights activists, Mr. Agba Jalingo who is
facing trial for alleged treason, terrorism and attempt to topple the Cross
River State Government.
The Court will also rule
on the preliminary objection on the bail application filed by the prosecution
counsel, Mr. Dennis Tarhemba.
In his argument, the
counsel to Jalingo, Mr. Attah Ochinke relied on the motion, the further
affidavit filed and section 161 sub section 2 of the Administration of Criminal
Justice act to demand that He be admitted to bail.
Jalingo who was decked in
a Tee shirt with the inscription “Every Free Society Has A Journalist” is to be
remanded in Prison custody till the next Court date.
Meanwhile, Tarhemba while
reacting to the Court proceedings, averred that: “What was done today is just
argument of both counsel as to the bail of the defendant and the matter has
been adjourned to the fourth day of this month.”
When pressed if he was
satisfied with the legal proceedings so far, he said that: “What I have done
today is part of my legal practice which I have done. I am not empowered to
judge what have been done, it is left to the Court.”
One of Jalingo’s counsel,
Mr. James Ibor told journalists that he was happy with the proceedings of the
day.
“I am very impressed that
finally the Court has taken our application for bail. We can only be hopeful
that it will go on our way,” Ibor said and posited that: “The issue of bail is
at the discretion of Court. So, if it doesn’t go in our favor, there is no
cause for alarm. We will go ahead with the hearing.”
Jalingo was arrested in
his Lagos residence by men attached to the Intelligence Response Team of the
Nigerian Police on August 22, 2019; a few days to the rescheduled interview
date in respect to a petition bothering on his article which sought the
whereabouts of the NGN500 million approved and released for the floating of the
Cross River State Microfinance bank.
He spent 34 days in Police
detention and was arraigned on September 25, 2019 where he pleaded not guilty
to the four charges preferred against him. He was remanded in Prison custody.
The Cross River State
Government was fingered as the mastermind of his ordeal, an allegation the
State denied.
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