A 28-year-old man, Godwin Alex, is now facing prosecution at a Wuse Magistrate’s Court in Abuja  for allegedly cutting off two fingers of a Federal Road Safety Corps personnel.

Alex is standing trial on a two-count charge of assault and unlawful possession of dangerous weapon.

State prosecutor, Mr Olarenwaju Osho, told the court on Monday that Alex committed the offences on Saturday when he was apprehended for driving against traffic.

He said that rather than cooperate with the FRSC personnel, Alex turned violent, leading to an altercation during which he cut off the officer’s fingers with a jack knife.

He said that the offences contravened the penal code of the FCT.

Alex, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His counsel, Mr Ibraheem Bashir, filed a bail application for Alex on health grounds.

Bashir also enjoined the court to order the release of Alex’s car from police custody and the restriction of the media from covering the court proceedings.

Presiding Magistrate Cendy Oluwaseyi rejected the plea to restrict media coverage, ruling that journalists have a Constitutional right to report court proceedings. .

She also ordered that Alex’s vehicle be kept in police custody pending further investigation.

She granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million and ordered that he produces two sureties to stand as sureties.

One of the sureties must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 10, and both must provide utility bills and proof of residence in the FCT, she ruled.

Oluwaseyi adjourned the case till May 16 for further hearing.

-NAN