Bash Ali Has Refused To Leave Jail Despite Meeting Bail Conditions

He must have been so hurt. NAN is reporting that after Bash
Ali and four other men were arrested at a bank premises last month in Abuja for
trespassing and causing obstruction in public way, they were remanded in prison
till their bail conditions would be met, but now that it has been met and Bash
is now free to go, he has refused to leave the prison. Below is how NAN reports
yesterday’s court hearing.

They were arraigned by the police on Feb. 19 on a six-count
charge of joint act of abetment, criminal trespass, and obstruction in public
way. They were also charge with criminal trespass, causing obstruction in
public way, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation. The prosecuting
police officer, Sgt. Bulus Samuel said the charges contravened the provisions
of sections 79, 85, 348, 194, 256, and 397(b) of the Penal Code. When case was
first mentioned on Feb. 19, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the
charges. The Magistrate subsequently granted them bail in the sum of N1 million
each with one surety each who must be a civil servant not below salary GL 10.
According to the Magistrate, the sureties must be reliable, resident within the
court jurisdiction and must swear an affidavit to substantiate reliable means
of livelihood. Bello adjourned the matter for hearing to March 4, adding the
sureties, who must be civil servants, must produce their first appointment
letter and their last promotion letter.

At the resumption of hearing on Wednesday, the Principal
Witness 1, Mr Bisong Peter, told the court that he and some of NEXIM Bank
workers were assaulted by the accused persons.

Peter is the Chief Security Officer to NEXIM Bank.

He said this under cross examination led by counsel to the
accused persons, Mr Anthony Agbolahan.

According to him, Ali, his colleagues and others now at
large, disrupted NEXIM Bank operations by preventing workers and customers from
entering the premises during their protest on Feb. 18.

“Ali called himself a suicide bomber and claimed that he was
coming to bomb the bank.

“As a security agent, my colleagues and I have to be on
alert.

“They came on a protest carrying placard with all kinds of
inscriptions against corruption; we stopped them but they were still able to
gain entry into the premises.

“When they were disturbing and making noise, we called the
police who later came to our rescue.

“Ali had visited NEXIM Bank several times but am not aware
the purpose of his visits,’’ Peter said.

He, however, said that during one of such visits, he had a
meeting with the bank’s management and later left in anger”.

Defence counsel, Mr Anthony Agbolahan, however asked Peter
whether he was aware that Ali and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) were
planning a boxing championship. When the witness answered in the negative, the
defence lawyer told the court that Ali and his team visited the bank in
connection with the championship. Agbolahan also sought from the CSO whether
Ali and other attacked the bank’s Managing Director, to which the witness also
answered in the negative. Witness also admitted that Ali had had a meeting with
the management before but that Ali left the meeting in “anger”

Senior Magistrate, Habiba Bello, having listened to the
parties adjourned the case till April 2 for continuation hearing.

(NAN)