A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has ordered the remand of twenty suspects alleged to be involved in the killing of commuters in Mangu Local Government Area, after they pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge.
The suspects were arraigned before Boniface Ngyou, a Judge at High Court 10, on Friday, following an earlier adjournment from July 10 to allow defence counsel to amend charges concerning two minors among the accused.
The suspects are facing charges bordering on culpable homicide, use of dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, firearms, and petrol, which were allegedly used to set an 18-seater bus ablaze, resulting in the death of several passengers.
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The charges were read in both English and Hausa to ensure proper understanding by all defendants. Each of the 20 accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were presented in court.
Garba Pwol, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and the lead defence counsel, informed the court of a pending bail application for the suspects. However, Ngyou stated that the court was close to its annual vacation, making it unlikely for the bail motion to be entertained at this time. He advised that the case file may be sent back to the Ministry of Justice for possible reassignment to a vacation judge.
In response, Samuel Ikutanwa, the prosecuting counsel, who also serves as the Officer-in-Charge Legal of the Plateau State Police Command, strongly opposed the bail application. He described the request as premature, considering the gravity of the charges and the stage of the proceedings.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 13, 2025, for a case management hearing and potential ruling on the bail application. Ngyou also ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Jos Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
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In a post-court interview, Pwol revealed that 22 suspects were originally brought for arraignment, but the number was reduced to 20 after two were identified as minors.
He emphasised that the case involves a capital offence, which requires serious legal consideration, and noted that bail in such matters is typically granted only under exceptional circumstances.
He assured that the defence would continue pursuing bail when appropriate, but for now, the accused persons remain in custody as directed by the court.
BusinessDay reports that the incident, which has drawn public outcry, is one of the latest in a string of violence-related cases in Plateau State.
