The Presiding Pastor of the House On The Rock Church, Uche Aigbe, charged with a criminal case of unlawful possession of an AK-47 rifle, has shunned his trial at the Chief Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Chief Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja had ruled that Pastor Aigbe had a criminal case to answer in the case of unlawful possession of an AK-47 rifle.
SaharaReporters had also reported that Aigbe caused a stir on Sunday, February 12, 2023, when he mounted the pulpit carrying an AK-47 rifle.
Aigbe had said, “Some people are looking for my trouble. And I came here prepared. Today, there are some pastors with the gift of divination who go about ripping people off. This is why we should carry our “guns” and defend ourselves. I will particularly be coming very soon for some of you sleeping in the church.”
He was subsequently arrested and detained by the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Police Force, insisting that he had questions to answer.
The police had charged Aigbe, Promise Ukachukwu, and Olakunle Ogunleye with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of a prohibited firearm, inciting disturbance, and criminal intimidation, but they pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to PRNigeria, when the case came up on Monday, it was gathered that Aigbe's matter could not be continued because the cleric had filed a certiorari proceeding against Magistrate Muhammad at the High Court.
“The Pastor's matter couldn't go on because they filed certiorari proceeding against Justice Abdulazeez Muhammad, and the FCT Commissioner of Police, at the High Court before my lord, Hon Justice Adeniyi. Justice Adeniyi had granted an order for stay of proceedings pending the determination of application before him.
“When the matter came up today for continuation of defence, Magistrate Abdulazeez Muhammad ruled that he could not make any adverse order against the High Court and told the parties he could not proceed with the proceedings and adjourned the matter sine die,” PRNigeria quoted a source at the court as saying.
Similarly, it was reported that the trial of Obiajulu Uja, an anti-Tinubu protester on an aircraft at the Magistrate Court had also been stalled due to the non-appearance of the defendant and his counsels.
Recall that the defendant had been granted bail at a High Court but it was gathered that since then, he had refused to attend proceedings at the magistrate court.
The prosecution counsel, Umo Inah, on Monday informed the court that Uja was granted bail without his knowledge, and that he only got to know about it when he appeared in court.
However, Magistrate muhammad adjourned the matter to November 7, 2023 for report and or hearing".
Uja in early April, was carried off a Lagos-Abuja flight, after he started a lone protest demanding that President Bola Tinubu (then President-Elect) must never be sworn in as President, on May 29.