A Kano State Mobile Court, on Tuesday, ordered 632 protesters to be remanded in custody over vandalism of public and government assets during the #Endbadgovernance nationwide protest in the state.
The court presided over by three senior judicial officers charged the defendants with criminal conspiracy, theft, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbance, trespass and mischief.
Meanwhile, the mobile court has adjourned sitting until August 19, 2024, for a hearing.
The three judicial officers who presided over the case were Senior Magistrate Ibrahim Mansur-Yola, Senior Magistrate Hadiza Rabiu-Bello, and Chief Magistrate Abba Muttaka-Dandago, respectively.
Earlier, the state Director of Public Prosecutions, Salisu Tahir, informed the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on August1.
He alleged that on the same date, the defendants during the #Endbadgovernance nationwide protest trespassed, vandalised government and public properties in the state.
“The defendants broke into people’s shops and looted their goods,” the DPP told the court.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 287, 229, 336, 349 and 247 of the Penal Code
While some of the defendants pleaded guilty, others pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Haruna Isa-Dederi, who briefed newsmen after the court sitting, said the state government constituted three mobile courts to prosecute the defendants.
“I pleaded with the Kano State Chief Judge to allow the constitution of three special courts within the premises of the state police command in view of the large number of defendants involved.”
According to Isa-Dederi, the appropriate advice would be given by the Ministry of Justice after studying the case diary before the next adjournment.
