A Zuba Magistrate Court in Abuja has refused to grant bail to the passenger who was debarked and handed over to the Police for making a sensitive statement about President-elect, Bola Tinubu onboard an Ibom Air Abuja-Lagos bound flight.
Ruling in the bail application filed by Uja, through his counsel, Senior Magistrate Mohammed Abdulazeez Ismail, held that the application was premature
He held that the exhibits attached to the application did not say the defendant was unfit to fail trial but rather indicated he was of unsound mind.
He also held that while the constitution guarantees every person’s liberty, a court can deprive a person of it based on health grounds.
Citing the provisions of Section 35(1)(e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 278 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the Magistrate held that Uja cannot be granted bail.
He subsequently ordered that Uja be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre of Nigerian Correctional Service. and adjourned until April 20 for report and hearing.