Alleged False Publication: Journalist Luka May Spend 93 Days In Prison Before Trial
BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – Former Bureau Chief of Vanguard Newspapers in Kaduna, Mr Luka Binniyat, who is currently standing trial on alleged false publication, may spend another 40 days in prison custody till October 9 following Justice Bashir Sukola’s refusal to review his stringent bail conditions.
Luka has so far spent a total of 53 days in detention since July 12, 2017 when he was first arraigned before Justice Bashir Sukola of the Kaduna State High Court.
The Court had on July 20, 2017 granted stringent bail conditions to Mr. Binniyat with two sureties expected to deposit their international passports with the Court as well as N10m each and a bank bond to that effect pending the determination of the case.
However, on Thursday, August 31, 2017, the case was further adjourned to October 9 following an appeal filed by the prosecuting counsel led by Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Bayero Dari at Kaduna State High Court 10.
Dari had filed an instant application for adjournment citing the change of prosecuting counsel, a motion which the defence counsel, Barrister James Kanyip opposed but failed to convince the court.
The turn of events and failure of the defence counsel to get a review of the bail conditions for his client came as a rude shock to hundreds of Binniyat’s supporters who had thronged the court premises to witness the trial.
In a chat with newsmen following the adjournment, Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Dari, denied claims that the adjournment was deliberate.
He explained that the appeal for instant adjournment was entered because the case has been transferred to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who has been debriefed and needed time to go through the case file.
Also fielding questions from journalists, lead counsel to the defendant, Barrister Kanyip expressed disappointment that the bail condition review was entertained by the court during the Thursday’s sitting.
According to him, the motion for the bail condition review was filed since August 7 and the prosecuting team had ample time to study it.
“I am okay with the adjournment of the hearing of the case, but disappointed that review of the bail was not entertained,” he complained.
Kanyip however promised to seek redress at the Court of Appeal if his motion was not treated satisfactorily.
Several top Southern Kaduna elite, journalists, Binniyat’s family members and well-wishers had all swarmed the court premises to witness the trial
