By David Okpashi
Thirty nine women and others arrested last Friday for alleged breach of public peace during a peaceful protest in Lafia were Monday denied bail despite plea to that effect.
It would be recalled that the women who have been on peaceful protest against the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule since March last year were arrested, charged to court and remanded allegedly by the police.
When the matter came up Monday for hearing, the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, fixed Thursday this week for hearing of the bail application of the thirty-eight people arrested for allegedly causing public disturbance.
The court presided by Mohammed Abdullahi Lanze took the decision after listening to arguments by counsels to the complainant and the defendants on the bail application.
At the resumption of hearing on the bail application, counsel to the defendants, Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu relied on points of law to support his plea for the court to temper justice with mercy by granting the defendants bail.
Counsel to the Commissioner of Police, Danjuma Allu on his part argued that the complainant had seven days to reply to the bail application and urged the court to grant him a short date to reply in accordance to the provision of the law.
After listening to counsels, the Chief Magistrate, Mohammad Abdullahi Lanze adjourned case to Thursday for the hearing of the application for the bail of the thirty eight persons.
It would be recalled that on Friday 19, January, 38 women, others were arrested and arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court 3 and later remanded at the Lafia Custodial center of the Nigeria Correctional Service.