The detained President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, facing a three-count terrorism charge, reiterated his innocence yesterday, asserting that he had no criminal record prior to his arrest.
Bodejo was apprehended at the Miyetti Allah’s office in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State shortly after he unveiled a vigilante group.
He has remained in custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, since January 23, despite the Federal High Court in Abuja granting approval for his detention on March 22.
However, the defendant, represented by his team of lawyers led by Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, approached the court seeking bail pending the determination of the charges against him.
In his application, the defendant argued that the charges against him were bailable offenses, emphasizing his right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty under the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He assured the court that he would not abscond if released from detention, highlighting his deteriorating health as an exceptional circumstance warranting the court’s favorable discretion.
The defendant maintained that the evidence presented did not establish a prima facie criminal case against him, thus urging the court to grant him bail on lenient terms, with responsible individuals prepared to stand as sureties.
However, the federal government which is prosecuting the matter, opposed the defendant’s request for bail.
FG had earlier told the court that his continued detention was in the interest of national security.
In a counter affidavit sworn by Noma Wando, a litigation clerk in the Department of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Government urged the trial court to reject Bello Bodejo’s bail application.
The deponent stated that the defendant is currently facing trial for terrorism-related offenses, which involve his establishment of an ethnic militia in Nasarawa State, as well as his involvement and management of activities deemed prejudicial to national security and public safety.
The Federal Government informed the court that Bodejo provided support, assistance, and transportation for activities associated with such acts, contravening various sections of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Furthermore, the Federal Government refuted the defendant’s claim of suffering from a life-threatening ailment that cannot be treated at the DIA’s Medical Center in Abuja.
It pointed out that the DIA’s Medical Center is located in close proximity to the State House Medical Centre, Abuja, which it described as having top-notch doctors, specialists, and consultants.
Additionally, the Federal Government disclosed that the defendant was diagnosed only with high blood pressure, which it asserted has been effectively managed by the DIA.
“The federal government’s holding centres and custodial centres have always ensured that the medical needs of persons in custody are met and they have always undertaken to ensure that whenever the occasion arises special medical treatment is available to their inmates,” it added.
Meanwhile, the lawyer that represented the defendant in court on Wednesday, Dr Sulaiman Usman, SAN, requested for time to enable him to respond to FG’s counter-affidavit which he said was just served on him.
The application for an adjournment was granted by trial Justice Inyang Ekwo.
The court had earlier fixed May 27, 28, 29 and 30 for accelerated hearing of the substantive case. A count in the charge against the defendant, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/141/2024, read: “That you, Bello Bodejo, Male, Adult, on or before the 17th Day of January. 2024, at Lafia, Nassarawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence to wit: you established an ethnic militia known as Kungiya Zaman Lafiya, without authorization and thereby committed an act prejudicial to national security and public safety, and an offence punishable under Section of 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”