Court grants bail to Wikki Times Publisher, Mohammed

The Publisher of Wikki Times, a Bauchi-based Investigative online newspaper, Haruna Mohammed was released on bail on Friday by Chief Magistrate Court IIl.

Mohammed was arrested by the police on Saturday at Duguri, the hometown of Bauchii State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed while on election duty  and detained at the Bauchi State Police headquarters.

He was taken to court on Tuesday by the police and charged with  alleged inciting disturbance of public peace and blackmail the Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.

The Publisher was granted bail Wednesday but failed to meet up the bail conditions which included a District Head within the jurisdiction of court and a Senior Civil Servant of the rank of a Director.and taken to Correctional Center custody Bauchi.

When the accused failed to meet up the conditions, the court  Thursday granted variation of the bail conditions and replaced the District Head with the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Bauchi State Council, which led to his release.

He  allegedly hired some women to incite disturbance by instigating them to make utterances that will prejudice the peace and well being of the intended voters at the polling unit in Duguri ward of Alkaleri LGA, and it also alleged blackmail of the incumbent Governor in his ward contrary to section 114 of the Penal Code

When the case was mentioned Tuesday the accused person (Mohammed) denied all the charges.

The State  Ministry of Justice and Attorney General  had applied to take over the case from the Police and continue with the case as contained in the 1999 constitution. 

The presiding magistrate Ahmed Musa adjourned the case to 13 March 2023 for the continuation of the hearing of the case.