Court grants suspected gunrunner bail on compassionate ground

A Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday granted bail, on compassionate ground, to one Nuhu Marafa, dragged to the court by the army on suspicion of gun running.

Chief Magistrate, Nasiru Idris,  granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million to allow him receive medical attention.
The court, however, said the suspect must produce two sureties, one of whom must be a civil servant not below the rank of a Permanent Secretary or a traditional ruler not below the position of a District Head serving in Kaduna State. 
Mr. Marafa was dragged to the court on Feb. 10 by the Nigerian Army and the State Security Service (SSS) on a two-count charge of illegal possession of arm and funding a terror group. 
Mr. Marafa, 54, and former National Treasurer of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTDA) and his son, Musa, were arrested by soldiers of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, on Jan. 14 in Kaduna for alleged gun running and link with a terror group.   The Army had earlier searched the suspect’s residence located at Tirkania area of Kaduna, where they recovered a pump action gun and 43 live ammunitions.   The suspect and his son, were paraded before newsmen on Jan. 16, and declared wanted another of his sons, Yusuf. 
Mr. Marafa, however, approached a Federal High Court in Kaduna on Feb. 6 asking it to compel the army authorities to release him unconditionally in exercise of his fundamental human rights. 
The Federal High Court had fixed Feb. 16, for ruling on the motion. 
Counsel to the suspect, Sani Katu, disturbed by his client’s state of health while in detention, filed a motion for his bail in accordance with section 341(2) of the criminal procedure code and section 36(5) of the constitution. 
Mr. Katu submitted a 13-paragraph affidavit before the magistrate, assuring that the suspect would not jump bail if granted. 
The prosecution counsel, Salisu Garba, did not object to the application and the magistrate after granting the bail adjourned the case till March 8, for hearing. (NAN)