Christmas Day bombing: Boko Haram suspected kingpin Sokoto faults trial

The alleged mastermind of the 2011 Christmas Day bombing at the St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, Kabiru Umar, has faulted his trial and asked the court to set him free.

In his no-case submission, Umar also known as Kabiru Sokoto, argued that the prosecution had failed to produce sufficient evidence to link him with the charges of terrorism levelled against him. He urged the court to discharge and acquit him.

He argued yesterday that the proof of evidence before the court did not link him to the crimes alleged against him.

He contended that the evidence so far led by the prosecution failed to establish any offence against him

His position is contained in a written brief he filed in court, a copy of which The Nation sighted yesterday.

He contended that while the state accused him of “facilitating the commission of a terrorist act by planting and encouraging some boys (now at large) at Mabira Sokoto, in Sokoto State with the intention to bomb the police headquarters and some other government agencies in the state,” the government failed to bring any of the boys he allegely planted and encouraged to testify against him.

He said rather than bringing the boys whom the operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) claimed gave them information about how he encouraged them to bomb police headquarters and other government agencies in Sokoto, he said the Federal Government brought operatives of the SSS who came to court to give hear-say evidence which has no probative value.

Umar argued that the prosecution failed to lead evidence to establish how he facilitated the commission of a terrorist offence.

Umar also argued that althouh he was accused of withholding information about the plan to bomb the church from law enforcement officer, the prosecution failed to establish at what point he got hold of such information and at what point it became an offence for him not to have disclosed it.

Umar contended that all the witnesses that testified in the case wasted the time of the court as the evidence led were not credible to sustain the charges preferred against him.
He prayed the court to dismiss the two-count charge preferred against him.

Parties in the case are to adopt their written submissions next Friday, during which they would also dwell on their written arguments.

The state called eight witnesses to support its case.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, Umar, who was expected to open his defence, indicated his intention to make a no-case submission in respect of which he filed the written submission.
A no-case submission is where an accused person argues that the prosecution has preferred no sufficient evidence linking him to the charge.

Should the court upholds the submission, that ends the case in the defence’s favour.

The Nation