Misau vs IGP: FG amends charges to 7

By Vivian Okejeme

Abuja

Federal government, yesterday, informed Justice Issaq Bello of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, that it has filed an application seeking to amend the criminal charges brought against Senator Isa Misau from five to seven.
The senator representing Bauchi Central senatorial district was arraigned on a five count charge bothering on making false and injurious allegations against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
When the matter came up yesterday, prosecuting counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), informed the court that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) had issued him a fiat to prosecute the matter.
Izinyon informed the court that the five count charge will be amended to seven so as to add more information.
According to the prosecution, the two offences, just like the initial five, were contrary to Section 393 (1) of the Penal Code.
He also informed the court that he had filed another application seeking to set aside the subpoena issued by the court on the IGP on November 22.
He submitted that such subpoena was targeted at embarrassing the IGP and that it was an abuse of court process.
Reacting, counsel to Misau, Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN) told the trial judge that he will be challenging the application to amend the charge.
In his argument, he pointed out that the charge could not be amended, positing that the initial charge on which his client was arraigned
was defective because the seal of the lawyer that filed it was not appended.
On the subpoena, he said that the IGP is not a party to the suit and that there was no law that stopped his client to compel the IGP as a witness and to also tender documents needed for his defence.
Justice Ishaq Bello adjourned till December 5, for hearing of the three applications.

 

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