Chief Magistrate Ummikhalthum Mohmmed of Minna Chief Magistrate court number One has told five teenagers who were remanded in Correctional Custody to repent and turn to Allah SWT for them to be useful to themselves and the society.
She prayed to God to touch them change for better for them to shun crimes of all sorts for them to be a good ambassador of the country and to their parents
The Chief Magistrate said as a mother, she has no option than to do her work as enshrined in the Constitution.
“If I have my way I would have grant you people bail but I have no option than to do my work as the Constitution entails.
“I’m not happy seeing young teenage boys for that matter being involved in crimes. As future leaders you can use your talents for meaningful things that will better your lives so that you can be useful to yourself, your parents and the society.
” Now look at the situations you put yourself in. Mubarak, only you are standing trial on three different charges on three first Information Report (FIR) with even culpable homicide is sad.
” I pray to God to change you for the better.
Like I said, my hands are tight. I’m a mother myself. As a mother I feel pain seeing teenagers of your aged appearing before my court. But I’m doing my job there is nothing I can do in such a situation other than to do my work.” Chief Magistrate Ummulkhatum Mohammed told the defendants while remanding them in Correctional Custody.
Five them mostly teenagers were arraigned on different offenses ranging from belonging to gang of thieves, being in possession of dangerous weapons belonging to gang of thurgery and culpable homicide among other heinous crimes in accordance to penal code law.
The teenagers who were separately arraigned before the Minna Chief Magistrate court Number One were alleged to have used dangerous weapons such cudgels, Knives Cutlasses and other dangerous weapons to inflicted deep cut on passerbys resulting to death of two persons during a free for all fight in Minna metropolis.
According to the police Prosecutor Inspector Bello Mohammed had earlier told the court that the defendants were arrested by the police through a distressed call that some youths are terrorizing residents of Maitumbi and Angwan daji area of Minna with dangerous weapons.
” Which informed men of the operation flush of the Niger state police command to swiftly swung into action and effected the arrest of these defendants he told the court.
When the charges were read to them, by the Presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed they all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At this point, the police Prosecutor Inspector Bello Mohammed then told the Chief Magistrate that Investigation in to the matter has been completed and he objected to their bail on the ground that most of the charges preferred on them were not ordinarily bailable adding ” my Lord we are asking for a date to present our witnesses and evidences to enable us commence our full trial into the case.
” My Lord, as for their bail I’m strongly objecting to their bail. Granting them bail at this point in time, there is likelihood of committing similar offenses. I therefore urged the court to remand them in Correctional Custody for us to commence full trial into the case” the prosecutor told the court.
However, the defense counsel to the defendants, Mr Haliru Hussain made an oral application for their bail which was objected to by the Presiding Chief Magistrate urging him to come formally by way of application.
She then ordered for their remand in Correctional Custody and adjourned the case to 22 and 27 of May 2024 for commencement of trial.
She then directed the police Prosecutor to make available their case files to their defense counsel for him to Prepare himself for their trial.
