Gombe court grants man accused of defaming APC gov candidate bail

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The Gombe Chief Magistrate Court No. 1 on Monday granted bail to Suleiman Dawawu, who is facing charges of alleged defamation of character and injurious falsehood against the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Gombe State, Dr Jamil Gwamna.

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Dawawu, a resident of Manawachi Quarters, Gombe, was arraigned before Magistrate Musa Kilawa over an alleged publication made on July 28, 2026, alongside Abba Pantami and Hafiz Kabade, who are currently at large.

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The prosecution alleged that the defendants published and reproduced statements on their Facebook accounts claiming that Gwamna had been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged fraud involving the diversion of funds belonging to the Kano Electricity Distribution Company.

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According to the prosecution, the publication was made “with intention to harm or knowing, or having reason to believe that the statement of facts will harm his reputation.”

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The state counsel and prosecutor, Barrister B.A. Mahmoud, told the court that the alleged offences contravened Sections 79, 391 and 393 of the Penal Code Law.

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When the charges were read and explained to him, Dawawu pleaded not guilty.

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Following his plea, his counsel, Barrister Emma Dilos Lasmadas, applied for his bail pursuant to Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Section 177(1) of the Gombe State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2020.

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The defence urged the court to grant the defendant bail, arguing that he was entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

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After hearing the arguments, Magistrate Kilawa granted Dawawu bail.

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The court subsequently adjourned the case to a later date for further proceedings.

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Pantami and Kabade, the two other defendants named in the charge, remain at large.

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