The Nigeria Police has arraigned a Deputy Superintendent of Police who allegedly killed a niece to a former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman.
In a criminal charge filed on Friday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Zuba, 36-year-old Inagozie Godwin was alleged to have shot Miss Anita Akapson at Katampe area of Abuja at about 9:45pm on October 13, 2018.
The one-count, which the prosecutor said was a criminal offence, to wit culpable homicide ran contrary to section 22(3) of the Penal Code and punishable under section 22(4) of the same code.
After the charge was read to the accused cop, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Mr Donatus Abah, thereafter asked the court for a date for commencement of the trial of the accused.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mr Paul Samson, informed the court of his client’s bail application dated October 30 and filed same day.
After taking submissions by both counsels on the bail application, the presiding judge, Justice A. O. Ebong admitted the accused on bail in the sum of N50million with two sureties.
Justice Ebong said he was minded to grant the defendant bail because the police prosecutor failed to advance cogent reasons under the law why bail should not be granted to the DSP.
He noted that the offence was a culpable homicide and not punishable by death, but carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
According to the judge, all the factors that would have swayed the pendulum in favour of the prosecutor were not mentioned as he opposed the bail application.
As part of the bail conditions, he also directed that the two sureties must be serving public servants who should not be below the position of directors.
The court stated that the sureties must be resident in their personal houses and must equally swear an affidavit of means.
Justice Ebong, however, ordered that the accused must not travel without leave of court, and must live within the jurisdiction of the court in order to attend his trial.
In addition, he directed the defendant to deposit his international passport and other relevant travel documents to the registrar of the court.
Post A Comment: