Armstrong Bakam, Bauchi
A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prof. Kabiru Sabitu, a lecturer with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi for contempt of court.
The order for Sabitu’s arrest came after he flouted a court order to appear before it.
The don, who was a former Provost of the ATBU College of Medical Sciences, was dragged to court by Prof. Aminu Rufai, of the Department of Human and Clinical Anatomy of the college, over alleged concealment of official document.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Ahmad Sani, said that Sabitu was ordered to appear in person before the court based on Section 153 of the Criminal Procedure Code unless where otherwise stated in Section 154 (1) (2) and (3) based on some circumstances.
According to him, “In this case, none of these circumstances exists as his mere claim to be busy with office schedules cannot suffice and the court order is above any other except set aside.”
An earlier application by the complainant filed on April 6, 2017 asked the court to punish the accused based on the provisions of Section 137 and 138 of the Penal Code.
“This honourable court is also urged to punish the accused person accordingly and order him to pay compensation for the injuries suffered by the complainant pursuant to section 78 of the Penal Code”.
Presiding Magistrate of the Chief Magistrate Court number 1, Adamu Madaki, therefore ordered that the accused be arrested for refusing a court order to appear in person.
He said, “Having listened to the submission of Ahmed Sani for the complainant who applied for a bench warrant to be issued against the accused person and CY Kwaltings Esq from the accused who opposed the application, it is ordered that a bench warrant is hereby issued against the accused person”.
The case was adjourned to August 22, 2017.
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