Agba Jalingo: Don’t Bring People To Court In Chains, Judge Warns Prison Wardens

Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court, Calabar this
morning admonished prison officers never to bring defendants to
court premises in chains even as he adjourns the trial of an
embattled journalist, Agba Jalingo till tomorrow to allow the
prosecution amend the charges preferred against him, Thegavel
report.

Agba was brought inside the courtroom at 9.31 am when the court
was already in session. The displeased trial judge has chided the
correctional officers for producing Agba late and testily lectured
them never to bring anybody into the court premises in chains
except in extreme cases.

The case was eventually called at 11 47am as Agba was marched to
the dock.

Although matter was slated for trial, the prosecutor, Mr Dennis
Tarhemba brought an application for leave for amendment of charges
and protection of defence witnesses.

The defence lawyer complained of late service of the
prosecution’s process but the judge tasked him to be more agile and
not allow any possible delay tactics to work.

Jalingo was charged with treasonable felony, terrorism and
attempt to topple the Cross River State government. He has been a
staunch critic of the Governor Ben Ayade government and had
challenged him to give account of huge amounts of money that have
accrued to the state and how the funds were spent.

However, Jalingo was arrested in his Lagos residence on August
22, 2019 and taken to Calabar by road where he was detained at the
Cultural Centre facility used by anti-kidnap police squad.

The state government has been accused of being behind Jalingo’s
arrest and trial even on issues outside those for which he had
accused the government. Reports of his ill health had sparked
outrage and he was eventually arraigned at the Federal High Court 2
in Calabar after 34 days in custody on September 25, 2019 for the
pre-trial hearing of his bail application. He was brought to court
on handcuffs.

The presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, after two court
dates on September 26 and October 2, 2019, rejected the motion to
admit him to bail on October 4, 2019. In his ruling, Justice
Amobeda said Jalingo’s lawyers had failed to provide sufficient
evidence on his failing health and was remanded in prison custody
where he has spent another 20 days since September 25.

Justice Amobeda had dismissed the preliminary objection filed by
the prosecution to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear
Jalingo’s bail application and ordered an accelerated hearing on
October 16 and 17, 2019.

Consequently, mixed reactions have continued to trail Jalingo’s
arrest and incarceration as several groups have accused the state
government of masterminding his travails, an allegation, the state
has continually denied.

Jalingo had in an article published in July queried the
whereabouts of the N500 million allegedly released for floating the
Cross River Microfinance Bank.

The trial continues tomorrow.