AFederal High Court sitting in Kano and presided over by Justice Muhammad Nasir Yunus yesterday granted N500 million bail to House of Representatives Majority Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa and two sureties in like sum.
The police said Doguwa was remanded in Goron Dutse, Kano, Correctional Centre (prison) over alleged electoral violence during last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
He is standing trial for alleged “criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, culpable homicide and breach of public peace”.
Three persons were feared dead when suspected political thugs set ablaze at the campaign secretariat of the News Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State during the presidential and National Assembly polls.
Two persons in a stationary vehicle inside the building of the campaign office of the House of Representatives candidate of NNPP were reportedly burnt to death while an attempt was allegedly made to torch the building of Tudun Wada Local Government Area INEC Office by suspected thugs attacked the building.
Doguwa was accused of sponsoring the violence.
He denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned before Kano Magistrates’ Court 54.
The lawmaker’s counsel, Nuraini Jimoh (SAN), yesterday prayed to the Federal High Court in Kano to admit the defendant on bail.
The lawyer argued that his client is presumed to be innocent pursuant to the provision of Section 35, Sub-section 6 of the Constitution of Federal of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended).
Ruling on the application, Justice Muhammad Nasir Yunusa granted the defendant N500 million bail with two reliable sureties.
The sureties include a first-class emir and a senior officer in the civil service.
The court ordered Doguwa to submit his international passport to the court Registry pending the trial.
It also restrained the defendant from going to his constituency during the governorship and states’ Houses of Assembly elections on March 11.