Seven officials of the CPC  yesterday appeared before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Jos over alleged complicity in the Jan. 8 violence that left several people dead.

The accused persons are being tried for unlawful assembly and causing the skirmish during which many vehicles were also set ablaze.

The police had arrested the officials after blaming the riots on the change of venue for the political party’s ward congress, a development that caused confusion which “hoodlums cashed on to go haywire”. The suspects brought to court included the CPC Chairman, Alhaji Mudashiru Aliyu, his Vice, Mr Henry Nenyel and Secretary, Mr Johnson Podak.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Counsel to respondents, Mr Samci Dasplang, raised a motion in which he prayed for an interlocutory injunction restraining the police or their agents from harassing the respondents before the determination of the case.

“The motion is seeking for an interlocutory injunction restraining the complainant either by his officers, agents or representatives from harassing, intimidating and threatening to arrest or re-arrest my clients.

“I also want their lives to be free from being interfered with, while their liberty should be guaranteed while the trial lasts,” he said.

But the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Ahomafo Egoh, objected to the motion and urged the court to reject it.

“It lacks credibility and should be thrown out,” Egoh argued.

Mr Ishaku Kunda, the Chief Magistrate, after listening to both parties, allayed the accused people’s fears of intimidation, stressing that the Plateau Commissioner of Police Abdulrahman Akano was a learned person, who would not do such thing.

The Chief Magistrate advised the respondent counsel to report to the court any breach of the bail granted to the accused persons.

Kunda fixed Mar. 16 for ruling on the motion and for hearing of the case.

Meanwhile, registered opposition political parties yesterday condemned the arrest of Congress of Progressive Change, CPC, gubernatorial candidate for Nasarawa State, Alhaji Umaru Al-Makura and former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Mohammed Lawal, saying their arrests were a calculated attempt to intimidate and hound the political opponents.