By Engr. Luke Mmamel
In a shocking turn of events that has raised concerns about the integrity of the Enugu State judiciary and the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), one Musa Hassan, accused of absconding with 200 cows valued at over N100 million, has been fraudulently released from custody under suspicious circumstances.
Musa Hassan had been employed by me (Engr. Mmamel) since 1980 to look after my herd of cows, which had grown significantly over the years. However, in 2019, Musa absconded with the entire herd, severed all communication, and relocated his family from their long-time residence in Ibeagwa Nike, Enugu State, to Kogi State.
After an exhaustive search and considerable effort, I managed to locate him in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The case was promptly reported to the Enugu State Police Command, and Musa was subsequently transferred from Okirika Police Station in Rivers State to Enugu. He was arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court 5 of the Enugu-East Magisterial Division under Charge No. CME/340c/2021.
Despite being granted bail, Musa was unable to meet the bail conditions and was therefore remanded at the Enugu Custodial Centre.
For a year, Musa failed to appear in court despite being seen at the court premises.
An investigation revealed that he had been granted bail by Magistrate Court 6 on December 20, 2022, while the case was still listed in Court 5.
This irregularity raises several questions: Why was Musa presented to Court 6 instead of Court 5?; How did a Magistrate, who is not officially recorded as the presiding magistrate for Court 6, become involved?; Why did Court 6 purportedly not sit on the day the bail was granted?
These anomalies suggest a coordinated effort by some Magisterial and Correctional Services staff to fraudulently release Musa, thereby obstructing justice.
Given the gravity of this situation, it is imperative to address these concerns to uphold the rule of law and maintain public trust in our institutions.
Therefore, I am calling on the Enugu State Police Command to launch a thorough investigation; a comprehensive inquiry into the fraudulent release of Musa Hassan is essential. The investigation should focus on the involvement of Magisterial staff and Correctional Services personnel in potential corruption and malpractice.
Immediate steps should be taken to recover my stolen cows, valued at over N100 million.
