The Federal High Court in Abuja has slammed a bail of N10 million each on 72 suspects charged with participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
A minor among the 76 persons arraigned by the Nigerian Police Force collapsed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendant who is barely 15 years old, slumped as the charge was about to be read to them by trial Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
The incident forced the judge to abruptly halt the proceedings and return to his chambers.
With the help of lawyers in the courtroom, the frail looking boy was rushed to the court’s clinic as his co-defendants, who are mostly minors, wept openly.
One of the counsel representing the defendants, Mr. Deji Adeyanju had earlier disclosed that the minors had spent over 80 days in police custody.
Sitting over the case later, presiding Judge Obiora Egwuatu stipulated that each defendant must secure two sureties in the same amount. One of the sureties must be a civil servant at grade level 15 or higher, with a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other must be a parent of the defendant.
The court had originally set the arraignment date for 76 defendants, most of whom are minors. During the proceedings, many of the children appeared ill and malnourished as they were called to take their pleas.
Due to space constraints, some minors were forced to stand outside the designated area, while four of them collapsed and had to be urgently escorted from the courtroom, prompting the judge to temporarily suspend proceedings until order was restored.
When the session resumed, the prosecution according to TheCable, requested that the names of the four affected minors be removed from the charges. The remaining defendants were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.
The 76 individuals, arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states, face charges of treason, among other offenses.
