There was commotion at court three of the federal high court Abuja presided over by justice tsoho this eve when armed Dss men who stormed the third floor of the court in a bid to forceful take President Buhari Aide and member of the arms procurement investigation committee,Rtd Air commodore Umar Muhammed who the court granted bail.
It will be recalled that on the 19th of June 2016 the DSS arrested air commodore Umar Muhammed over allegation of possession of pump action with an expired license and possession of cash in his home above the money laundering law requirement. Umar Muhammed has since been in DSS detention since then( for over 104 days)
He was arraigned before the Magistrate Court on the 27th June 2016 by the DSS who knew the magistrate did not have jurisdiction to try the alleged offense. The magistrate Court granted him bail and immediately he fulfilled the bail conditions He was adducted again by the DSS outside the court and returned to their detention facility.
On the 21st July 2016 , the DSS arraigned him before the Federal High Court Abuja presided over by Justice Dimgba . On the 22nd July 2016 The Federal High Court gave him bail and ordered that He be remanded in Kuje prison pending the perfection of his Bail but on stepping outside the Court He was forcefully adducted by gun wielding DSS operatives and taken to the DSS Hqrs again in violation of the order of the court.The Court gave order that He be produced in court but the order was ignored by the DSS.Even after fulfilling his bail conditions the DSS refused to release him.
On 28 June 2016 , 20 human right and public interest lawyers sued the DSS over the unjust detention and arrest of Umar Muhammed . On 14th September 2016 ,Justice Dimgba in his ruling to the suit by the 20 Human Right Lawyers declared the arrest and detention of Umar illegal and ordered that he be released unconditionally, an order the DSS ignored. Surprising the DSS petitioned the NJC accusing the judge of bias and went ahead to secretly detain the court registrar on the 28th Sept 2016 all in a bid to stampede the court and continue to illegally keep Umar.
Surprisingly today, been the 30th of sept 2016 the DSS re arraigned Umar Muhammed before another judge of the Federal High Court, Court 3 presided over by Justice Tsoho on the same issue after they succeeded in intimidating the Chief Judge to re assign the case file from Justice Dimgba to Justice Tosho so that the matter can start afresh.
At the resumed hearing today , Umar lawyers led by SAN Liman and assisted by SAN Bawa moved for Umar bail to be upheld as given earlier by Justice Dimgba but the DSS opposed the bail on the ground that the case has to start afresh since the matter has been re assigned to a new Judge.
Justice Tsoho stepped down the case till 4pm to enable him give his ruling today.
Around 5pm today,The judge resumed and gave his ruling. In his ruling Justice Tsoho gave Umar bail on the same terms he was earlier granted bail by Justice Dimgba and adjourned the case for commencement of trial to November 7th 2016.
Drama started immediately the Judge retired to his chamber. The armed DSS officers who where down stairs stormed the third floor of the court and took strategic position and few of the officers moved into the court and surrounded Umar Muhammed in a bid to forcefully move him back to their hqrs instead of Kuje Prison the Judge ordered if Umar cannot meet perfection of his bail.Relatives, lawyers and well wishers moved in and was insisting Umar haven fulfilled his bail must go home.
While the commotion and arguments where going on, the earlier bail granted Umar which he has fulfilled was brought from the justice Dimgba court and was documented and verified by the Court three . In view of the perfection of his Bail, The Judge signed the release order but at that point the DSS men insisted umar must return to their office and as temper was flaring , they reinforced inside the Court and forced Umar Muhammed out and bundled him into their waiting van and drove him away around 6pm today.
