A commercial bus driver, Mr. Kasali Quadri, 33, who was arraigned for attempting to kill a Lagos High Court judge, Justice Ebenezer Adebajo was yesterday denied bail by a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere.
Presiding judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, denied the defendant bail on the ground that there was not enough facts to prove that he will not abscond if released on bail.
“Where in your affidavit have you shown that the defendant will come back if released on bail?” the judge asked Mr Oludare Falana, from Falana and Falana Chambers, counsel to the defendant.
In his response, Falana told the court to consider the presumption of innocence. He also said that the defendant was the breadwinner of the family and that his wife just put to bed.
He argued that the offence that the defendant was charged with could be likened to a mere traffic offence which is a bailable offence, and not attempted murder as stated by the charge sheet.
“The offence with which the defendant was charged can be likened to a mere traffic offence and not attempted murder as stated by the charge sheet.”
The prosecutor, Mr Femi Adamson, who urged the court to deny the defendant bail however said the defence counsel had not given enough facts to guarantee that the defendant will come back if released on bail.
He also noted that although the offence committed is a non-capital one, the provision of the law is clear that bail of that nature is dependent on the facts before the court.
Quadri was first arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate court, Lagos on March 9, 2012 on a charge of alleged attempted murder of justice Adebajo, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Kasali Quadri who was said to be driving a commercial bus with registration number XA 242 KLK at Moloney St., Lagos Island at 2.20 pm where he obstructed other road users and when he was challenged by the judge, he hit the judge’s car three times.
The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 228 of Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2011.
Paddy paddy and arrangee judgements do not aid the cause of justice. In the long run it destroys the fabric of society.