Boko Haram Suspects Deny Confessional Statements

A DRAMATIC twist was yesterday introduced to the ongoing trial of some persons suspected to be members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, allegedly responsible for the bombing of the Suleja office the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as two of them denied confessional statements credited to and brought in evidence against them at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Standing trial before Judge Bilikisu Aliyu, Salisu Ahmed and Musa Adamu, the second and fifth accused persons respectively, disowned the statements tendered through the Investigation Officer from the State Security Service (SSS), Alhassan Iliyasu.

Objecting to the admissibility of the said statements, the duo’s counsel, Nureni Suleiman, vigorously denied knowledge of the statements, as he prayed the court to discountenance them and reject them as evidence.

Whereas Ahmed denied outright knowledge of the statement of August 9, this year credited to him by Iliyasu, claiming that the statement he made on October 6, this year was under duress.

Similarly, Adamu denied knowledge of the two statements credited to him, which were made on July 11, this year.

However, Iliyasu told the court that all statements were made voluntarily by the accused.

According to him, the accused could not speak English, therefore the caution words and eventual statement were taken in Hausa, which was later translated to English language and they admitted to it.

The sixth accused person, Umar Ibrahim, did not deny statements credited to him.

In his argument on the objection raised by defence counsel on the admissibility of the statements in evidence, prosecuting counsel, Thompson Olatigbe, submitted that denial of the statements before the court does not affect the admissibility as evidence.

He also submitted it was within the discretion of the judge to decide what weight he wants to place on the statements allegedly made under duress.

In her ruling, Justice Aliyu upheld the submission of Olatigbe, saying denial of a statement is not a ground for non-admissibility of statements as evidence.

She added that such denial could only reduce the weight of the evidence in the course of the trial.

On the statement of the second accused person claiming to have made it under duress, the judge held that the court would determine the position of such statement vide a trial within the trial.

According to her: “In a criminal proceeding, when an accused says he did not make a statement and that the statement was made under duress, denial will not affect admissibility of the statement but could affect the weight.

“But the statement under duress, the court will determine the admissibility as the court will go into trial within trial,” she said.

The application for the accused was also refused and bail application fixed to be heard on the next adjournment date.

Suspects were remanded in the custody of the SSS till December 19 when the application for bail would be argued, while hearing continues December 8, this year.

-Latest Nigeria News on Boko Haram

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By Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja