A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has responded to reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja approved a lawsuit seeking to investigate ex-Governor Bello Matawalle’s alleged links to banditry.
The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1434/2024, was filed by human rights activist Abubakar Dahiru and lists President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Inspector General of Police as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants, respectively.
Shinkafi issued a statement on Sunday, saying, “Even though a case was filed at the said Federal High Court, it has not been assigned to any judge, not mentioned, heard, and determined by the court. For this reason, it was wrong to say that the ‘Court okayed’ the suit.”
Shinkafi referenced Professor Kabir Danladi’s statement, “A case filed is not a case heard, and a case heard is not a case determined until the pronouncement of the court. The presumption of innocence is applicable to all defendants.”
He also cited Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, “Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. In the determination of his civil rights and obligations including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such a manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.”
Shinkafi criticized the report for lacking essential details, “The story was incomplete since it failed to publish the court proceedings and enrolled a court order where this suit was ‘okayed,’ the name of the judge, court number, and defendants’ counsel.”
He called for an investigation by the, “Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists, and media ombudsman, National Media Complaint Commission.”
Shinkafi expressed confidence that Matawalle, the current Minister of State for Defence, will be cleared of allegations, which he believes are sponsored by Matawalle’s political opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said, “Already, the Defence Headquarters and other security agencies are investigating the sponsors of banditry in the North West. We have no doubt that the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, will be exonerated from these obvious frivolous, spurious, unfounded, and wide allegations by failed politicians who are intimidated by his rising profile as an outstanding minister of the Federal Republic and loyalist of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Shinkafi concluded, “It is time to stop media trials and propaganda against highly esteemed public office holders like Matawalle. We urge the Honourable Minister to remain focused in the quest for a strong, virile, united, progressive, equitable, and just democratic nation.”