Misau vs IGP: Senator Arraigned in Abuja Court, Pleads Non Guilty, Granted Bail

 

Nigerian lawmaker representing, Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Isah Misau, was on Thursday, arraigned before a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for making “injurious falsehood” against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris and the Nigerian Police Force.

 

According to a report by Daily Sun, the senator, who was arraigned on a 5-count charge, pleaded not guilty before the Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, and was granted bail to the tune of N5million with two sureties in like sum.

 

It was gathered that after the charges were read to him, the federal lawmaker moved an application through his counsel, Godwin Obla (SAN), to be granted bail on self-recognizance.

 

He told the court that he would be available to defend all the allegations made against him by the Federal government. In addition, Misua told the court that he appeared before the court voluntarily to face the charges.

 

The Director of Public Prosecution, Salihu Bakun who represented the Federal government said he was not opposed to the bail request. Consequently, Justice Bello granted the bail application, even as he fixed November 28 for trial.

 

The Federal government had in the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/345/2017 and signed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, listed some of the “injurious falsehood” it said the defendant made, to include allegations that police officers paid as much as N2.5million to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission.

 

The charge is perceived to be a direct fallout of allegations Misau who himself is a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, made against the Inspector General of Police.

 

The senator was charged for alleging that the police boss diverted money meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers, Sport Utility Vehicles and other exotic cars. He was also alleged to have falsely accused the IGP of making almost half of the mobile commanders in the country the people of his Nupe extraction.

 

The lawmaker, aside accusing the IGP of instituting roadblocks across Nigeria with the purpose of extorting money from unsuspecting motorists, equally alleged that the police boss had sexual affair with female police officers.

 

Misau further alleged that the IGP collects illegal fees by way of security protections given to corporate organizations, eminent citizens and oil companies running into billions of Naira.

 

The AGF maintained that the the lawmaker had by his action utterances, committed an offence contrary to Section 393(1) of the Penal Code.

 

FG equally filed another seven-count charge against the lawmaker before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

 

In the second seven-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/170/2017, FG alleged that Misau falsely declared his age in affidavits he deposed to at FCT High Court and the Bauchi State Health Management Board Birth Certificate.

 

He was said to have submitted the false documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2011 and 2014.