Court denies bail to anti-Tinubu demonstrator

Obiajulu Uja, who protested against the president-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whilst on an Ibom Air aircraft from Abuja to Lagos, was denied bail by a Zuba Magistrate Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

After being taken off the aircraft and turned over to the police, Uja submitted a request for bail through his attorney, Barr. Ejike Ugwu. Senior Magistrate Mohammed Abdulazeez Ismail, however, dismissed the request, stating that it was untimely.

According to him, the materials that were included with the application did not state that the defendant was unfit for trial, but rather that he was mentally incompetent.

He further argued that although the constitution guarantees everyone’s freedom, a court may deny someone their freedom for reasons related to their health.

The Magistrate determined that Uja cannot be released on bail based on Section 35(1)(e) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 278 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He argued that when a defendant’s mental ability is in question, the court has a responsibility to learn about their medical history.

The materials that accompanied Uja’s bail application, he said, brought up the question of his medical fitness.

Judge then denied the request for bail and mandated that Uja be detained at the Nigerian Prisons Service’s Kuje Correctional Complex.

Judge also instructed the center’s director to transport the defendant to a public hospital for a mental capability evaluation.

He then called a recess until the report and hearing on April 20.