Tina Amanda
A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded the Lawmaker Representing Degema-Bonny Federal Constituency, Honourable Farah Dagogo, in Police custody for conspiracy and instigating cult activities.
The Defendant Farah Dagogo was arraigned in court on two count charge bothering on conspiracy and instigating cult activities, filed against him by the Commissioner of Police Rivers State.
During the Court proceeding, Counsels representing the Defendant opposed the arraignment and application made by the prosecution Counsel for the Defendant to take his plea in court.
The Defense Counsels insisted before the court that the prosecution did not comply with the provisions of section 300 Sub-2 and section 3B of the practice direction of the Rivers State Magistrate Court Number 7, 2002, as the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Defence Counsel argued further that in regards to the above sections of the Law, the prosecution ought to have come with application of experte for a remand which was not complied with.
The presiding Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Amadi Nna, after listening to arguments of Counsels agreed with the Defense Counsels and asked the prosecution to do the needful, and thereafter remanded the Defendant Farah Dagogo in Police custody and adjourned the case to 9 May, 2022.
In an interview with our correspondent, SB Batubo Defense Counsel, said the charge against their client is above the threshold of what the Magistrate Court can carry.
He explained that their position was for the court to strike out the charges given to the fact the sections of the Law were not complied with, which the court did not do.
The Defendant Counsel said the court ought not to have remanded Farah Dagogo given the fact that the court lacks jurisdiction and what was expected to be done under in law was not done, the court should have told the parties to go and return when ready.
Also, the Prosecution Counsel from the Department of Public Prosecution Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Chidi Ekeh, said the Defendant did not take his plea because some sections of the Law were not complied with.
