Lack of defence counsel stalls Kabiru Sokoto’s trial

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Latest Politics Thursday, March 21st, 2013

THE planned arraignment of the alleged mastermind of the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madala, Niger State, Mr. Kabiru Umar (alias Kabiru Sokoto) before the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, got stalled Wednesday owing to the absence of legal representation.

Sokoto, who claimed not to understand English Language, spoke through a court’s interpreter and said he was oblivious of his appearance in court. He also said that he had not been served with charges brought against him by the State Security Service (SSS).

He prayed for a period of two weeks to enable him secure the services of a lawyer to represent him at the trial.

The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, held that the nature of the case, being a terrorism-related one, is such that ought to be fast-tracked. He expressed displeasure over the security agency’s failure to serve the suspect with the charges alongside the proof of evidence to enable him prepare his defence.

The judge also refused an application made by the SSS lawyer, Chioma Onuegwu, wherein she pleaded with the court to allow Kabiru enter his plea to signify the commencement of his trial.

The court thereafter adjourned proceedings to April 19 and ordered that the suspected terrorist be remanded in the custody of the SSS.

The court also ordered the security agency to allow the suspect access to his lawyers to enable him prepare his defence and to serve him every material document relating to the trial.

Sokoto is being charged on three counts, including facilitating the commission of a terrorist act.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 15 (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004.

He is also being alleged to have been in possession of information about the bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church on December 25, 2011, but failed to disclose it to law enforcement officers within a reasonable time to forestall the incident and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013 and punishable under Section 33 (1) of the same Act.

Meanwhile, Senator Ali Ndume who is being tried for terrorism has prayed the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, to stop his trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.

In an application filed at the Court of Appeal by his lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), the senator contended that the stay would enable the appellate court determine his appeal challenging the admissibility of three DVDs which allegedly contained series of alleged telephone conversation between him and a convicted Boko Haram spokesman, Ali Konduga, against him.

In the notice of appeal, Ndume held that the trial court of Justice Gabriel Kolawole ignored the provisions of Section 84 of the Evidence Act, which he claims requires that a document produced by a computer should be admissible upon satisfaction of certain conditions.

-Guardianwp_posts