AN Abuja magistrate’s court yesterday struck out the charge of illegal arms shipment preferred against an Iranian, Azim Aghajani and Ali Abbas Jega following the withdrawal of the said charge by the Federal Government.

Government had applied to withdraw the said charge before the magistrate court having filed a fresh charge before the Federal High Court, Lagos Division.

At the resumed hearing, while arguing in favour of his application to withdraw the charge, Prosecutor Moses Idakwo informed the court that he had filed a similar charge at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.

Idakwo explained that the choice of Lagos for trial was predicated on the convenience of the court to move to the place where the exhibits were for inspection.

Idakwo also applied that two other accused persons, Aliyu Wammako and Mohammed Tukur, be discharged on the ground that the proof of evidence did not directly link them with the commission of the crime. The application was granted and they were accordingly discharged.

Although the application for withdrawal by the prosecution was contested by counsel to the Iranian, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) who argued that it was a ploy to further infringe on the right of the accused persons, Magistrate Hafsat Soso granted same on the reasoning that the court could not compel the prosecution to sustain a charge against its will.

But upon adjournment, the hope of Aghajani and Jega to breathe the air of freedom was cut short as they were re-arrested by men of the State Security Service as they stepped out of the cour