This is what happened at the trial of 7 Boko Haram suspects
- The trial of seven Boko Haram suspects was stalled due to the absence of prosecution counsel
- The lead prosecuting counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, was unavoidably absent due to health challenges
- The suspects are being tried on an 11-count charge, bordering on abduction and murder of their victims at the Federal High Court, Abuja
The absence of prosecution counsel on Tuesday, May 23, stalled the trial of seven Boko Haram suspects at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The defendants are: Mohammed Usman (a.k.a Khalid Al-Barnawi), Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello (a.k.a Abu Azzan), Mohammed Salisu (a.k.a Datti), Yakubu Nuhu (a.k.a Bello Maishayi), Usman Abubakar and a lady, Halima Haliru.
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They are being tried on an 11-count charge, bordering on abduction and murder of their victims in February 2013.
The defendants were alleged to have abducted seven foreigners from a construction site in Bauchi and took them to Sambisa Forest, in Borno, where they murdered them.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at the resumed trial, the prosecuting counsel, Miss Adeola Hope, who held brief for the lead prosecution counsel, Mr Shuaibu Labaran, informed the court of his ill health.
She said the lead prosecuting counsel was unavoidably absent due to his health and urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable him come and continue with the trial.
The defence, led by Mr S. N. Abba, said that there is no law which states that if the lead counsel is absent the matter could not hold.
The defence stated that the lead counsel had on the last adjourned date come with large numbers of lawyers in order to move their motion of remanding the defendants.
The defence further argued that the prosecution is not showing any seriousness that they want to commence trial, as they have not filed all the needed witnesses’ statement.
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The judge, Justice John Tsoho, adjourned the matter until June 6, for commencement of trial and ordered that the prosecution should avail all the necessary documents before the next adjourned date.
In the NAIJ.com video below, the Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.