A legal tussle between WikkiTimes Publisher, Haruna Mohammed Salisu and Bauchi State Government initiated at the Magistrate Court III would now be heard at a High Court sitting in the state.
The lawsuit was lodged by the Bauchi State Government at the magistrate on February 28, three days after the publisher was illegally arrested and detained in police custody for 72 hours.
Governor Bala Mohammed’s security details arrested him in Duguri, Alkaleri local council where he was covering the presidential elections on February 25 on the governor’a order. He would later be charged with a one-count charge bordering on section 114 of the penal code which interprets as inciting disturbance of public peace.
Salisu spent another two days in the state correctional centre after the presiding magistrate Ahmad Tijani Musa remanded him in prison before granting him bail and adjourned the case to March 13.
However, Salisu, through his counsel, Barrister S.G Idrees, approached the High Court VI on March 6, challenging the jurisdiction of the magistrate court to continue with the case.
Barrister Idrees said: “We lodged a lawsuit in the high court challenging the jurisdiction of the Magistrate court III where the case was heard and was scheduled to proceed today (Monday, March 13).
“We moved the ex parte application after we pleaded with the court (High Court) to stop the magistrate from proceeding with the case.”
The High Court presided by Justice S. Zadawa agreed with the defendant’s application and stopped the magistrate from continuing with the case pending when it will give its ruling on the request.
Zadawa, therefore, ordered that the case be transferred from the magistrate court to his court. Subsequently, he adjourned the case till March 27, for the hearing
