Kefas: Court Set To Deliver Ruling On Bail Today
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – A Kaduna High Court will today Friday deliver its ruling on the bail application by the Port Harcourt-based social media activist, Steven Kefas. The activist, who has so far spent 59 days in detention battling for bail has been groaning under what social activists described as persecution.
Kefas, who was initially brought from Port Harcourt by operatives of the Kaduna State Investigation Bureau (KSIB) on May 9, 2019, was arraigned and granted bail by a Magistrate Court on May 13, 2019.
However, contrary to the bail condition, he was re-arrested on May 21, 2019 over a petition by the Kajuru Local Government Area Chairman, Mr Cafra Caino, who alleged in a petition that Kefa’s Facebook posting was injurious to his person. He was later to be arraigned in a different Magistrate Court that later sent him to prison.
According to a member of a group that is following the travails of Kefas with keen interest, “There is no reason to justify the continued incarceration of Kefas who, as at today, has spent 59 days in detention. If he was initially granted bail by a Magistrate Court on May 13, 2019, why should another Magistrate Court ordered his detention?
“After nearly a month in detention, the planned ruling by the second court was thwarted as the case was swiftly transferred to a higher court. Since then, it became clear that the young man is a victim of persecution. We wait patiently to see what will happen today in court to determine where to go in search of justice.
“This is democracy and any form of persecution, be it political or judicial, should not be tolerated. We hope that the court will today end Kefas’ travails so that the case can commence fully”, the source said.
Asked what option will be followed in the event the court refuses to grant bail as envisaged, the source said, “There are options, but we are keeping our fingers crossed. When we reach the bridge, we shall cross it.”
Kefas, the source added, “is neither involved in kidnapping nor committed any grievous offence besides putting up a Facebook posting that someone is claiming to be injurious. Not even under the military regime was such injustice allowed to go unchallenged. The young man has suffered indignities and violation of his fundamental rights. To demonstrate that all Nigerians are equal before the law, the court should grant bail for the young man who has spent about two months awaiting bail. Kefas who has drawn global attention through his tweets and Facebook postings on killings, especially that of Kajuru, can never jump bail”.
The court is billed to commence sitting at 9 am.
