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| Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris |
THE Federal Government has amended the charges of criminal libelous and scandalous injurious falsehood allegation preferred against the member of the National Assembly, senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Isah Misau.
The senator was earlier arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja on October 19, 2017 on five counts of making scandalous allegations against the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the Nigerian Police Service (NPS), the Police Service Commission (PSC) and its Chairman, Mike Okiro.
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice had on October 10, 2017 filed the original five counts charges with suit number FCT/HC/CR/345/2017, against Senator Isah Misau accusing him of falsely claiming in print media and on electronic media that police officers allegedly paid as much as N2.5 million to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission (PSC).
The senator was also accused of falsely claiming that the IGP was receiving as much as N10bn from oil companies, banks, hotels and individuals as bribe for police protection.
He was also said to have falsely accused the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris of diverting funds meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers to purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles or other exotic cars.
The senator further said to have falsely accused the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris of making almost half of the mobile commanders in the country the people of his Nupe extraction.
The offences were said to be contrary to section 393(1) of the Penal Code.
But the prosecution through its newly-hired private prosecuting counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), informed the court on November 28 that he intended to amend the five counts instituted against Misau.
The senator's lawyer, Mr. Joshua Musa, had in response, informed the presiding court that he would oppose the prosecution’s move to amend the charges brought before the honourable court.
But shortly after the day’s proceedings, the prosecution filed amended charges together with a motion seeking the court’s leave to amend the charges by adding to the original five.
There is no striking difference between the old and new set of charges.
The prosecution merely split two of the original five counts into four to make the amended seven counts.
The presiding trial judge, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello, who is the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja had on November 28, 2017 fixed Tuesday 5, December 2017 for the hearing of the prosecution’s motion asking for leave for amendment of the charges, an application which the defence had said they would oppose as a matter of rights before the court.
The senator was earlier arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja on October 19, 2017 on five counts of making scandalous allegations against the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the Nigerian Police Service (NPS), the Police Service Commission (PSC) and its Chairman, Mike Okiro.
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice had on October 10, 2017 filed the original five counts charges with suit number FCT/HC/CR/345/2017, against Senator Isah Misau accusing him of falsely claiming in print media and on electronic media that police officers allegedly paid as much as N2.5 million to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission (PSC).
The senator was also accused of falsely claiming that the IGP was receiving as much as N10bn from oil companies, banks, hotels and individuals as bribe for police protection.
He was also said to have falsely accused the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris of diverting funds meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers to purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles or other exotic cars.
The senator further said to have falsely accused the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris of making almost half of the mobile commanders in the country the people of his Nupe extraction.
The offences were said to be contrary to section 393(1) of the Penal Code.
But the prosecution through its newly-hired private prosecuting counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), informed the court on November 28 that he intended to amend the five counts instituted against Misau.
The senator's lawyer, Mr. Joshua Musa, had in response, informed the presiding court that he would oppose the prosecution’s move to amend the charges brought before the honourable court.
But shortly after the day’s proceedings, the prosecution filed amended charges together with a motion seeking the court’s leave to amend the charges by adding to the original five.
There is no striking difference between the old and new set of charges.
The prosecution merely split two of the original five counts into four to make the amended seven counts.
The presiding trial judge, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello, who is the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja had on November 28, 2017 fixed Tuesday 5, December 2017 for the hearing of the prosecution’s motion asking for leave for amendment of the charges, an application which the defence had said they would oppose as a matter of rights before the court.
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