An Abuja High Court on Tuesday, threatened to revoke the bail it granted to Yisa Usman, the sacked Deputy Director, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, over behaviour considered to be improper.
Justice H.A. Musa, who cautioned Usman, granted the oral application by N. Orji, the prosecution lawyer, to commence the trial following the breakdown of out-of-court settlement.
The Inspector-General of Police had, in the charge marked: CR/654/2024, accused Usman of character assassination and giving false information on a public servant.
Mr Usman was named as sole defendant in the two counts charge dated and filed July 18, 2024 by Orji.
The ex-worker was alleged to have, on or about June 6, 2022, at JAMB National Headquarters in Abuja assassinated the character of Mabel Ishaku.
The offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 392 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.
In count two, Usman was alleged to have on or about June 6, 2022, at JAMB office in Abuja, given “false information to a public servant and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 140(b) of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria.”
He was docked and granted bail on Oct. 24, 2024, after he pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
Upon resumed hearing on Tuesday, the I-G’s lawyer, Orji, informed the court that on Dec. 10, 2024, the court advised parties to explore out of court settlement.
She said since the court gave the directive, nothing had happened.
The lawyer, however, alleged that instead, Usman came up with a write-up that was averse to the settlement plan.
“My lord, the settlement has failed,” she said.
Mr Orji then presented a copy of the printout of the write-up to the court for sighting.
Justice Musa directed the registrar to read the piece in open court.
“Once you want to explore settlement, you don’t look at the back,” the judge told Usman.
“What is the problem now?” the judge asked Orji.
Mr Orji insisted that with the development, there was no indication that Usman was ready for the settlement.
“Settlement has failed and we are ready to proceed with the trial. Our PW-1 (first prosecution witness) is here,” she added.
The judge then asked the PW-1, Mabel Ishaku, to step forward and sought her opinion.
Mr Ishaku explained that from Usman’s submission in the write-up, his allegations against her still featured, even though he was indirectly trying to point that he was not maligning her.
Mr Usman, in his response, said he only made the draft for Ishaku to see that he was committed to the settlement.
Justice Musa, who was unhappy over the development, said he advised the parties to reconcile in order to give peace a chance.
“I am only doing this because I am descending, not ascending. I will soon retire from service.
“What I am doing is to reconcile you because I know God will reward me.
“If you are not interested in the settlement, we should proceed. It looks as if we are for forcing you. We are not forcing you,” the judge told Mr Usman.
Responding, Mr Usman said Ishaku asked him to tender an apology and publish this in two national dailies.
Besides, he alleged that Ishaku also asked him to withdraw the petitions he wrote against the chief executive officer of the board.
But Ishaku disagreed with Usman’s remarks.
She said she neither advised him to explore reconciliation nor asked him to withdraw his petitions.
She further explained that it was Usman’s first lawyer he engaged that advised that the best option in the case was to settle.
The judge said that if whatever action the defendant took would bring about reconciliation, it would not be too much.
Mr Usman, however, responded that he was not ready to withdraw his petitions and the case he filed at the National Industrial Court in Abuja against the board.
He said he would rather want the trial to proceed.
“I will like the matter to go on,” he said.
Justice Musa, however, warned Usman against talking disrespectfully to the court.
“I will revoke your bail. You cannot be taking to me this way.
“Look at what he said, ‘I want the case to proceed,’ even with Impunity,” the judge cautioned.
Mr Usman’s lawyer, O.W. Bamigbaye, however, apologised to the court.
The judge, therefore, ordered the prosecution to call their first witness.
Orji reminded the court that the matter was for the defence to cross examine Ishaku (witness).
While being cross examining by Bamigbaye, Ishaku explained that she works in the I-G’s office but deployed to INTERPOL.
“I am serving two responsibilities,” she said.
She said she met Usman for the first time at Delta State University of Science and Technology, Abraka, the venue of the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) that took place in 2023, when she went undercover for an investigation.
“I introduced myself to him (Usman) as an assistant supervisor since I was undercover and I left the following day,” she responded to the lawyer’s question.
The witness said she left the next day after she had completed her assignment.
Responding to the question on the defamatory statement, Ishaku said the alleged offence was not only against her but also her office.
She said with the image the police are already being perceived with, Usman’s statement could make the public looked down on the force.
She also said that the statement could expose her to danger being a police officer and that this could affect her goal in future if such information is traced to her.
Besides, Ishaku alleged that Usman had gone to malign her without any fact because all he said was untrue.
After re-examination, Justice Musa adjourned the matter until May 6, May 13 and May 14 for continuation of trial.
NAN
