The court, consequently, ordered their arrest.
The police had arraigned 53 persons who were arrested when they converged on a hotel in Zaria to perform gay marriage.
At the resumption of hearing on Monday, police prosecutor, Sergeant Mannir Nasir, told the court that only eight out of the accused persons were present in court, hence his decision to apply for bench warrant.
However, counsel to the accused persons, Kimi Livingstone Appah, objected to the prosecutor’s application, saying that his clients were living in far places and thought that their case was slated for afternoon.
While the debate was on, two of the suspects entered the court room and the court was also told that Faruk Balarabe, who was the ‘groom’ and who was at large during the first sitting, had submitted himself to the police.
After granting the bench warrant of arrest, Chief Magistrate Auwal Musa Aliyu adjourned the case to May 31, 2017 for further hearing.
The Police had on April 19 first arraigned 53 persons.
The prosecutor, Nasir, told the court that the accused were arrested on April 15 at Zaria Motel and were being charged for conspiracy, unlawful assembly and belonging to a gang of unlawful society.
He said the offences contravened Sections 97, 100 and 197(a) of Criminal Procedure Code [CPC].
“On April 15, 2017 at about 2100 hours a team of policemen led by DSP Muhammad Lawal-Mashi arrested and brought to police station 53 persons.
“The arrested persons included; Jibril Abdullahi, Sagir Abubakar, Anas Mohammed, Mustapha Ababukar, Musa Ibrahim and Suleiman Usman among others, all of various addresses.
“Information reached the police that these group of persons conspired to celebrate a gay marriage at Zaria Motel between one Faruk and Sanusi both at large,” the prosecutor said.
The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their counsel, Yunusa Umar asked the court to release them on bail in line with sections 35 (4) and 36 (5) of the Constitution.
Umar lamented that the accused persons were detained in police custody for more than 24 hours contrary to the provisions of section 341 of CPC.
He told the court that most of the accused persons were students in their tender age.
The Chief Magistrate, Auwal Musa-Aliyu, granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N500,000 each, with one surety each in the like sum, who must be a blood relation to the accused.
He ordered that each surety must present two passport size photographs, valid identity card, bank account number, letter of credence from a traditional ruler, a 2015 utility bill and a valid GSM number.
source:daily post
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