Court remands varsity ex-lecturer over criticism of Kaduna government on Facebook

A civil rights activist and former university lecturer, Dr. John Danfulani, was yesterday arraigned before a Kaduna High Court for allegedly inciting comments on Facebook against Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

Besides, Danfulani had been arraigned for the same offence by the state government at the Magistrate’s Court on January 6, 2016 before the Chief Magistrate of Court 1, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna, presided over by Mallam Awwalu Musa. The state government lost the case in August and did not appeal.

The accused, a former lecturer in the Department of Political Science with Kaduna State University (KASU), had to resign his job with KASU in August 2016 after he was suspended for allegedly “embarrassing” the governor.

In the “notice to prefer a charge” brought before the court and signed by the prosecutors, Bayero Dari and Abdullahi Isiaka of the Ministry of Justice, the state said that the criminal charges against Danfulani fell under Section 417 and 418 of the Penal Code Law.

Danfulani pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in court.

But when the issue of bail was raised by his lawyer, Mr. James Kanyip, the judge, Justice Bilikisu Mohammed, said the accused should be remanded in prison till November 7, 2016.

She said she was busy to entertain the application, just as she also informed that she had a seminar to attend and would only be back on that date.