Judge Threatens To Stop Shinkafi’s Bail

Former governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi’s freedom has been threatened over his failure to appear in court.

Justice Fatima Murtala Aminu of the Federal High Court sitting in Gusau today threatened to revoke the bail she earlier granted to him.

Shinkafi who is the second defendant in the charge, was arraigned alongside three others; Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Ibrahim Mallaha and Aminu Ahmed Nahuche for allegedly conniving to collect the sum of N450,000,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison-

Madueke for the purpose of influencing the 2015 general election.

All the defendant pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them. As a result, the matter was subsequently adjourned to June 27, 2018 for hearing.

On June 27, counsel to the second defendant, Ahmed Raji SAN filed a motion, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to try the matter.

The matter was then adjourned till October 10 for hearing.

But when the case was read today, one of the second defendants sureties said the defendant had to go to Abuja over security situation in Gusau.

The judge expressed strong reservation over the action, warning that the judicial discretion of the court should not be taken for granted .

“I am sounding a word of caution or warning that such shall not be repeated or the bail of the second defendant will be revoked”, the trial judge declared.

Prosecution counsel, Musa Isah asked the court to strike out the motion filed on behalf of the second defendant for lack of diligent prosecution.

Counsel representing Shinkafi, M.R.D Labaran urged the court to discountenance the prayer of the prosecution counsel, arguing that the motion was not slated for hearing.

Justice Aminu adjourned the matter till November 21, 2018 for hearing.