Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu (aka Wadume), and six other defendants, Monday, pleaded not guilty to the alleged terrorism, possession of firearms and kidnapping charges leveled against them.
During their arraignment at the federal high court in Abuja on Monday, all the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.
The 13 counts charge borders on terrorism, kidnapping, detention, collection of N106 million ransoms, being in possession of unregistered fire arms and aiding and abetting of criminals.
This medium reports that the 16-count charge earlier preferred on them was amended to 13 counts for the purpose of arraigning seven of the defendants.
They were accused of conspiring to commit felony, to wit: acts of terrorism, by attacking and kidnapping one Usman Garba, aka Mayo, at his filling in Takum, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013.”
They were also accused of possessing six AK-47 rifles and dealing in prohibited firearms contrary to Section 27 (1)(a)(I) and (1)(b)(iii) of the Firearms Act 2004
At the resumed trial on Monday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Shuiabu Labaran, prayed the court to have the charge read to the defendants.
He told the court that the defendants were 20, arguing however that since the prosecution had not gotten a hold of all the defendants, the 16-count charge earlier preferred on them was amended to 13 counts for the purpose of arraigning seven of the defendants.
The other defendants in the trial are; Insp. Aliyu Dadje, Auwalu Bala, Uba Bala, Bashir Waziri, Zubairu Abdullahi and Rayyanu Abdul.
After their plea, Labaran thereafter prayed the court for a date for trial to begin in order to prove the allegation against the defendants.
He said, “Having pleaded not guilty to the charge, we are asking for a date to commence trial and prove all the allegations against the defendants.
According to Labaran, the prosecution will depend on testimonies from investigating officers, documentary evidence and defendant’s statements to prove its case.
Meanwhile, the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, has granted the prosecution prayer and has since adjourned the matter until June 22 for commencement of trial.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, took over the matter from the police early this month.
