The Nigerian government on Friday re-arraigned ten individuals who were initially arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place from August 1 to August 10, 2024.
These protests were primarily driven by public discontent over issues such as fuel subsidy removal, increased electricity tariffs, customs duties, hunger, and widespread insecurity.
The re-arraignment occurred before Justice Emeka Nwite at a Federal High Court in Abuja. The prosecution, led by Simon Lough, SAN, sought to amend the original six-count charge to an eight-count charge, which included treasonable felony.
This amendment also added Daniel Akande, a member of the Solidarity Network for Workers' Rights, as the 11th defendant. Akande was arrested on September 1 during a church service in Abuja.
The initial arraignment of the ten protesters took place on September 2, 2024, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges. They were granted bail on September 11, with stringent conditions including a N10 million bond and one surety in like sum. During the re-arraignment, all defendants, including Akande, maintained their not guilty pleas.
Defense counsel raised several objections during the proceedings. Abubakar Marshal, representing the 1st and 2nd defendants, argued that the prosecution's amendment of the charges did not comply with Section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), as it lacked the court's permission. He also highlighted that the prosecution had not provided the necessary proof of evidence, which is crucial for the defense's preparation.
Anthony Itedjere, counsel for the 4th defendant, pointed out discrepancies in the amended charges, noting that while 11 people were listed as defendants, the counts mentioned 14 individuals. He called for the amended charges to be struck out due to these inconsistencies.
Justice Nwite granted the prosecution leave to amend the charges but allowed the defense to raise further objections if necessary. He admitted Akande to bail under the same conditions as the other defendants and ordered the submission of his international passport to the court registry. The judge also scheduled the next hearing for October 4, 2024, to address bail variations for the 3rd, 4th, and 10th defendants, with the trial set to commence on November 11, 2024.
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