Justice Ibrahim Buba in his judgement sentenced the first three accused persons – Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman to 25 years each for participating in acts of terrorism.
However, the judgment was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Buba in camera following agreement among lawyers that since the trial was conducted in secret, judgement ought to be delivered in secret so as to protect the witnesses. Continue reading....
Consequently, journalists, and other lawyers were ordered to vacate the courtroom, leaving the prosecution and defence counsels.
Justice Buba had earlier granted an application that the trial should be conducted in secret following an application to that effect on the need to protect the witnesses.
Initially, 17 suspects were charged to court but were later reduced to four following the withdrawal of the case against the other suspects.
The 17 suspects initially charged were arraigned before Justice Buba on 18 counts bordering on conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and being members of a proscribed organisation.
They were Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed.
Others included Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya and Musa Audu and Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.
But the case was discontinued against all the accused except the first four.
The first four that went through trial are the three convicts and Bala Haruna.
Haruna was however discharged by Justice Buba on the grounds that the government failed to prove the allegation of terrorism funding against him.
Haruna, according to the case of the government, was said to have agreed to provide funds to facilitate the escape of the first convict, Ali Mohammed, from detention.
Before delivering the judgement, Justice Buba sought the views of lawyers in court, if it was within the law to deliver the judgement in the open court.
The Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Idowu Alakija, had said that since the trial was conducted in camera for security reasons, judgement should also be delivered in the same manner.
But Buba, who noted that even judges learnt every day, said he would do a brief research on the subject and rose at about 11.30am with a promise to return by 12pm.
At the resumed hearing, Buba again asked the parties to address him on the legality of giving judgement in camera.
It was gathered that the court found the first three accused guilty of the offence as charged and sentenced them to 25 years imprisonment each.
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