A Sokoto Chief Magistrate Court, on Wednesday granted N1m bail to Shafi’u Umar, who is standing trial for allegedly circulating falsehood against Governor Ahmad Aliyu and his wife on social media platform.
Umar, 37, who was the Special Assistant to former Governor Aminu Tambuwal, is charged with circulating injurious falsehood and engraving matter known to be defamatory.
The case was first mentioned on August 26, and the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Abdurahman Mansur, said the offence contravened the provisions of the Penal Code law.
The police, in their First Information Report, alleged that the defendant committed the offence on July 18.
The prosecution said the defendant circulated a video of the governor’s wife, Hajia Fatima Aliyu , “ spraying” money during her birthday ceremony in spite of the present hardships faced by citizens.
Umar was also accused of sharing a document that indicated that Governor Aliyu failed his Senior Secondary School Examination, scored F9 and is incapable of speaking English language.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in the correctional centre.
Ruling of the bail application filed by the lead defence counsel, Mr Al’Mustafa Abubakar, the magistrate Fatima Hassan, on Wednesday, granted Umar bail in the sum of N1m with a surety in like sum.
Hassan ordered that the surety should be a resident of Sokoto and must deposit his National Identity Card along with two copies of passport photographs in the court.
She adjourned the case till October 10, 2024 for the prosecution to complete their investigation as assured by the police prosecutor, Mansur.
She ordered that the defendant should be remanded in a corrections facility pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International on Wednesday faulted Tureta’s trial, demanding his unconditionmal release.
“No one should be punished solely for expressing an opinion that is contrary to that of the government or its officials,” the organization stated, adding that the governor’s actions were in direct violation of fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression.
“The targeting of Shafi’u Tureta and other critics by the Sokoto State government is nothing short of an attempt to silence dissent and suppress freedom of expression, particularly of those who hold and express views critical of the government,” Amnesty International said in a statement.