Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd) has pleaded for the trial judge in the case of fraud charged against the immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and his two sons to grant them bail.
Umar, himself a lawyer, believes that the offence for which they are facing trial is a bailable one, saying that it appeared strange that the judge denied them bail when other facing similar charges in other courts were granted bail.
Umar, in a statement on Friday under the auspices of Movement for the Unity and Progress, appealed to the judge to temper Justic with mercy by granting the former governor and his two sons bail.
His statement reads, “The offence, for which Sule Lamido and his two sons were charged, is clearly a bailable offence. This is why it appears strange that not only were they refused bail but they are remanded in prison custody for about three months. This means that both Sule and his sons have started serving a prison sentence even before the commencement of their trial.
It behoves on all men of good conscience to appeal to the trial Judge to reconsider this high -handed decision. The principle of the accused being adjudged innocent until proven guilty must apply in this case.
“We are also aware that persons with similar cases had been granted and are being granted bail.We appeal to the trial judge to temper justice with mercy by granting Governor Sule Lamido and his sons bail.”
A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano, had on Thursday ordered former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, accused of fraud, remanded in prison custody in Kano till September 28.
The former governor is facing a 28-count charge alongside his two sons, and one Wada Abubakar in connection with alleged corruption and money laundering that amounted to over N1.35 billion.
Lamido who was arraigned for receiving N1.35 billion kickback from a government contractor was shocked and could not believe his ears after the judge turned down his bail application and ordered him remanded.
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