Fmr Kaduna Speaker, Yusuf Zailani Sued Journalist To Court Over Alleged Murder By His Police Escort Stray Bullet

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The former Speaker of Kaduna state House of Assembly Yusuf Zailani has sued the Managing Editor of BallPoint Newsmagazine, Malam Babangida Kakaki in a court over a report of an alleged killing by his police escort stray bullet.

The suit filed at Kabalar Doki Magistrate Court came up on February 28th with the three count charges of defamation, falsehood and inciting of public disturbance which are punishable by  sections 372, 373, 78 (1) of the Kaduna State penal code law, 2017.

The plaintiff, Hon. Zailani was disturbed by an earlier report in BallPoint NewsMagazine, in which eye-witnesses and family of the slain young man, Late Mansur Shafi'u attributed an alleged complicity of Hon. Zailani in killing the victim during the bye-elections of membership of the House of Representatives, which was won by Hon Hussaini Jalo of the PDP.

Upon the receipt of the summon, the counsel to the Defendant, Barrister Aminu Yahaya had filed a written preliminary objection earlier, against the Court's jurisdiction to hear the charge of incitements to public disturbance, which can only be tried in a High Court. 

When the case was called on February 28th, 2024, the Judge Magistrate Zainab S. Sambo suddenly attacked the Defendant. "Who did you tell you give me money? You have told people that you give me money. You want to spoil my name. I will not take it lightly with you. I will send you to prison. If you give someone money to give me, you better go and collect your money ," She did it to provoke the Defendant into making a statement that could be interpreted as Contempt of Court. The Defendant remained calm, which shows a clearly evidence of bias and predetermined plot with the Complainant to send him to prison. 

When the case was about to be mentioned, the Counsel to the Defendant, Barrister Yahaya said, they have filed a written PO, and therefore they needs another date for the Complainant to respond to same. The Complainant counsel stood and filed an oral application that, they are ready to withdraw the charge under consideration, so that the court could proceed and hear the case in that day.

The Judge Sambo overruled the written PO and agreed to Complainant's counsel withdrawal of same, so that the case could be mentioned, which is against the judicial process, and a clearly indication of connivance to send the Defendant to prison.

Then some lawyers at the court intervene and drew the attention of the Judge Sambo that, the case couldn't continue as such, on grounds of the fact that, there is an earlier written preliminary objection PO, therefore an oral application could not counter it in law. The Complainant must be given time to study and return to court with same written reply to the PO. And secondly, in consideration Magistrate Sambo's earlier statement that she will not take it lightly with the Complainant, and she will take him to prison.

The Judge Sambo having realized the weight of the issue she might faces if the case is mention, had no option than to follow the legal opinion of the two lawyers.

She then asked both counsels to pick a day for mention of the case. They have agreed on March 8th, 2024 for mention.

It could be recalled that, Babangida Kakaki has, reported in a BallPoint Newsmagazine that, it was alleged that, the late Mansur Shafi'u was killed by a stray bullet of Hon. Zailani's police escort when he led a gang of youths to disrupt the votes collation during the bye-election in Rigachikun ward of Igabi LGA. Because of that, Hon. Zailani and his boys has threatened to deal with Kakaki, hence he sued him to court where his sister is the Judge to do his bidding.