A Magistrate Court in Kano State has ordered the detention of a prominent Islamic cleric, Ibrahim Makwarari, for allegedly forging title documents for two properties situated on Ahmadu Bello Way in the Kano metropolis.
Makwarari made his appearance at Magistrate Court No. 53, located in Normansland, Kano, on Wednesday.
He has been charged for illegally possessing land as well as for document forgery.
Upon the reading of the charges, Mr. Makwarari entered a plea of not guilty.
The police brought the charges against him following a petition from the Ministry of Land in the state.
The ministry accused the cleric of fabricating land titles that were originally registered under the names of Kassim Usman Baba and Audu Yaro Fagge.
Authorities noted that the defendant was found with the disputed documents but could not provide a valid explanation for their legitimacy.
A. T. Shehu, representing the defense, requested bail for his client, assuring the court that Mr. Makwarari would make himself available for trial. However, prosecution lawyer Nura Salisu contested this application.
Mr. Salisu highlighted that the accused has a history of evading police summons and was only apprehended after a specific order from the court.
In his decision, Magistrate Mustapha Datti approved bail for the defendant, setting the amount at ₦20 million, with the requirement of two sureties.
The bail conditions stipulate that Mr. Makwarari must surrender his international passport to the court and provide the requisite sureties.
Magistrate Datti further elaborated that the sureties should include a district head from any local council within the state, accompanied by an official letter from the relevant Emirate Council, in addition to a Kano-based business figure with verifiable assets.
Both sureties are also required to submit recent passport photographs.
The magistrate directed that Mr. Makwarari be held in a correctional facility until his bail conditions are satisfied.
The court has adjourned the case for hearings set to resume on February 12.
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