A Chief Magistrate Court in Birnin Kebbi has ordered the Nigerian Police to investigate allegations of contempt of court against a factional State chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Abubakar Bala.
Magistrate Abubakar Abdullahi-Koko gave the directive on Tuesday after hearing submissions from both parties, while also overruling preliminary objections raised by the defence.
Delivering his ruling, the magistrate held that the defendant’s counsel failed to provide documents relating to ongoing suits before a High Court to support claims that the matter constituted an abuse of court process.
He said the court could not rely on speculation in the absence of such documents.
“A competent court cannot speculate on what has not been placed before it,” he said.
The court subsequently directed the defendant to take his plea, after which Bala denied all allegations, insisting they were untrue.
Counsel to the defendant, Ahmad Abubakar-Fingalla, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that the offences were bailable and assuring that his client would not interfere with the judicial process.
The claimant’s counsel, Garba Abubakar-Shehu, did not oppose the bail application.
In his ruling, Magistrate Abdullahi-Koko ordered the police to investigate allegations of incitement of the public and disobedience of court order against the defendant, in line with Section 105(4) of the Kebbi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2021.
The case was adjourned indefinitely, while Bala remains in police custody pending further developments.
