The Abuja High Court on Tuesday threatened to revoke the bail it granted to Yisa Usman, the sacked deputy director of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), over behaviour considered improper.

Justice H.A. Musa, who cautioned Mr Usman, granted the oral application by N. Orji, the prosecution lawyer, to commence the trial following the breakdown of the out-of-court settlement.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had, in the charge marked CR/654/2024, accused Mr Usman of character assassination and giving false information on a public servant.

Mr Usman was named the sole defendant in the two counts charge dated and filed July 18, 2024, by Ms Orji.

The ex-worker was alleged to have, on or about June 6, 2022, at JAMB national headquarters in Abuja, assassinated the character of Mabel Ishaku.

The offence was contrary to and punishable under section 392 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.

In count two, Mr Usman was alleged to have, on or about June 6, 2022, at the JAMB office in Abuja, given “false information to a public servant and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 140(b) of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.”

He was arraigned and granted bail on October 24, 2024, after he pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

Upon the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the IGP’s lawyer, Ms Orji, informed the court that on December 10, 2024, the court advised parties to explore the out-of-court settlement.

She said since the court gave the directive, nothing had happened.
The lawyer, however, alleged that instead, Mr Usman came up with a write-up that was averse to the settlement plan.

“My lord, the settlement has failed,” she said and presented a copy of the printout of the write-up to the court for sighting.

Justice Musa directed the registrar to read the piece in open court.

“Once you want to explore settlement, you don’t look at the back,” the judge told Mr Usman.

“What is the problem now?” the judge asked Ms Orji, who insisted that with the development, there was no indication that Mr Usman was ready for the settlement.

“Settlement has failed, and we are ready to proceed with the trial. Our PW-1 (first prosecution witness) is here,” she added.

The judge then asked the PW-1, Mabel Ishaku, to step forward and sought her opinion.

Ms Ishaku explained that from Mr Usman’s submission in the write-up, his allegations against her still featured, even though he was indirectly trying to point out that he was not maligning her.

Mr Usman, in his response, said he only made the draft for Ms Ishaku to see that he was committed to the settlement.

Justice Musa, who was unhappy over the development, said he advised the parties to reconcile to give peace a chance.

“If you are not interested in the settlement, we should proceed. It looks as if we are forcing you. We are not forcing you,” the judge told Mr Usman.

Responding, Mr Usman said Ms Ishaku asked him to tender an apology and publish this in two national dailies.

Besides, he alleged that Ms Ishaku also asked him to withdraw the petitions he wrote against the board’s chief executive officer.
However, Ms Ishaku disagreed with Mr Usman’s remarks.

She said she neither advised him to explore reconciliation nor asked him to withdraw his petitions.

She further explained that it was Mr Usman’s first lawyer he engaged that advised that the best option in the case was to settle.

The judge said that if whatever action the defendant took would bring about reconciliation, it would not be too much.

Mr Usman, however, responded that he was not ready to withdraw his petitions and the case he filed at the National Industrial Court in Abuja against the board. He said he would rather have the trial proceed.

Justice Musa, however, warned Mr Usman against talking disrespectfully to the court.

“I will revoke your bail. You cannot be talking to me this way. Look at what he said, ‘I want the case to proceed,’ even with impunity,” the judge cautioned.

However, Mr Usman’s lawyer, O.W. Bamigbaye, apologised to the court.

The judge, therefore, ordered the prosecution to call their first witness.

Ms Orji reminded the court that the matter was for the defence to cross-examine Ms Ishaku (witness).

While being cross-examined by Mr Bamigbaye, Ms Ishaku explained that she works in the IGP’s office but is deployed to INTERPOL.

She said she met Mr Usman for the first time at Delta State University of Science and Technology, Abraka, the venue of the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) that took place in 2023, when she went undercover for an investigation.

The witness said she left the next day after she had completed her assignment.

Responding to the question on the defamatory statement, Ms Ishaku said the alleged offence was against her and her office.

She said with the image the police are already being perceived with, Mr Usman’s statement could make the public look down on the force.

She also said the statement could expose her to danger as a police officer and that this could affect her goal in the future if such information is traced to her.

Besides, Ms Ishaku alleged that Mr Usman had gone to malign her without any fact because all he said was untrue.

After re-examination, Justice Musa adjourned the matter until May 6, 13 and 14 for continuation of trial.

(NAN)