A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja could not continue with the trial of seven suspected Boko Haram members, accused of terrorism on Wednesday owing to the absence of a counsel for the accused; who include Usman Sani, Abdulrahman Musa, Mahmud Mohammed, Kabir Mohammed, Umar Danjuma, Ibrahim Abba and Abdullahi Lawan.
The court had failed twice to commence with the trial because of lack of legal representation for the suspects who were alleged to have killed people and robbed some banks in Bauchi State in 2011 for the purpose of raising funds to support the Boko Haram sect whose members have continued to destroy lives and properties in some parts of the country.
The suspects were accused of raiding the Unity Bank of Nigeria Plc, Alkaleri branch in Bauchi State, on July 18, 2011 and carting away N17.8 million and also accused of invading Intercontinental Bank Plc, Azare branch on December 4, 2011 and carting away N7.3 million.
While ordering that the suspects be remanded at the Kuje Prison, the presiding judge, Justice A.R Mohammed, warned that the court would not hesitate to take the pleas of the suspects without legal representation if they failed to secure any at the next adjourned date fixed for May 28.
He reminded the accused that the case for which they were charged carries a heavy penalty which ranging between life and death sentence. He said this was why it was important to give the accused fair opportunity to defend themselves.
He said: “the suspects are enjoined to get the services of lawyers on or before the next adjourned date of May 28. However, the court would have no option left than to take the plea of the suspects with or without legal representation on that day.”
The judge’s warning came after the prosecutor, Mr. David Kwase, informed the court that there was an attempt to get legal assistance from the Nigeria Legal Aids Council for the suspects, but that this was not successful.
He explained that he wrote to the Legal Aids Council as he had promised to do in the last sitting of the court, but he said the council did not respond to my letter.
He appealed that the court should accept the suggested arrangement of the suspects to defend themselves adding that from experience, “it has always been a tug of war to get Boko Haram suspects to accept government paid lawyers.”
Among the allegations against the accused was that they killed some police officers including Babangida Ibrahim, Suleiman Ibrahim and Mohammed Adamu on December 4, 2011.
They were also alleged to have attacked the Guarantee Trust Bank branch in Azare, Bauchi State, on December 4, 2011 and carted away the sum of N25.1 million. They were also alleged to have broke into the Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters and masterminded the release of some of their colleagues and also shot and killed one DSP Ola Mukaila Adeleke at the Tafawa Balewa Town in Bauchi State.
