Kamilu Lawal, Katsina
The police have brought at least five charges against the former Caretaker Chairman of Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, Haruna Musa Mota, who was arrested for allegedly aiding banditry in the state.
The charges which include among others, criminal breach of trust; inciting disturbance; aiding and abetment of armed robbery; kidnapping and terrorism, were presented at the Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
Mota who is currently remanded at a Katsina Correctional Centre, had been arrested in connection with the recent abduction of 344 students of Government Science Secondary school, Kankara.
In the First Information Report (FIR), the police alleged that “On the 30, January 2021 at about 08:00 hours as a member of Katsina state Fulani/farmers reconciliation committee entrusted with the mandate of negotiating between bandits/ kidnappers /armed robbers in Katsina State, you breached the trust by deliberately using your Samsung GSM Phone with MTN Number:08032981919 in calling one well known armed bandits commander residing in Zamfara forest, Zamfara State who masterminded the kidnapping of the students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, sometime in December 2020, instigating him with unverified information regarding the release of said students.
“As a result of this information to the commander of the armed bandits by you, he informed his gang who are now rising against the government and people of Katsina State, threatening to continue terrorizing them for the money to be released to them. All these are contrary to sections 298, 78 and 47 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2019.
Two police prosecutors on the case, namely ASP Isa Liti and ASP EM Garuba informed the court where Musa had been arraigned on Monday that investigation was still in progress on the case.
They requested a new date for the case to be mentioned and the presiding Chief Magistrate, Aminat Ibrahim, granted their request and adjourned the case till March 25, for mention.
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She also directed that the Certified True Copy of the FIR be released to Mota’s counsel, Barrister Ahmed Dan Baba, as requested by him, directing that Mota be remanded at the correctional centre till March 25, when the case comes up before her for mention.
