Alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Wadume, others to open defence to charge May 18

Alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Wadume, others to open defence to charge May 18
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, slated May 18 for the alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu (aka Wadume) and his six co-Defendants, to open their defence to the 13-count charge the Federal Government entered against them.
Other Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/30/2020, which borders on terrorism, murder, kidnapping and illegal arms running, are a police Inspector, Aliyu Dadje, Auwalu Bala (aka Omo Razor), Uba Bala (aka Uba Belu), Bashir Waziri (aka Baba runs); Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.
Trial Justice Binta Nyako adjourned for the Defendants to open their defence, after FG closed its case with the evidence of the sixth Prosecution witness, PW-6.
The witness who identified himself as Inspector Ben Anthony told the court that he is a police investigator.
He said he was part of the team that recovered four AK-47 Rifles from Wadume’s brother, Uba Bala, at Ibi in Taraba State.
The witness told the court that while his team was at Ibi, they got information that Wadume had earlier called his brother Uba and asked him to remove his guns from where he kept them.
He said: “We then left Ibi for Uba’s house. Immediately he sighted us at the front of his house, he attempted to run, but we followed and arrested him.
“We then asked him where the guns were kept and he took us to an uncompleted building and showed us where he kept the guns.
“He gave us a hoe and cutlass to dig the place and I dug it myself and brought out a sack that contained four AK-47 Rifles”.
While being cross-examined, the witness said though the guns were earlier tendered in evidence against the Defendants, the court later handed them back to the Police for safekeeping.
Asked if he had evidence of the call Wadume made to his brother, requesting him to hide the guns, the witness answered in the negative.
The lead Prosecution counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, thereafter announced FG’s decision to close its case at that point.
On his part, Wadume’s lawyer, Mr Dikko Ishaku, SAN, and the other defence lawyers in the matter, asked for a date to open their defence.
They told the court that they were not ready to proceed with the defence on Tuesday.
“We are not ready for defence since the matter was adjourned for continuation of the prosecution’s case.
“We ask for a date to open our defence,” Ishaku added.
However, counsel to the third Defendant, Mr. Y. Dangana, told the court that his client would not be opening his defence but would rather file a no-case-submission.
Consequently, trial Justice Binta Nyako directed all the Defendants that intend to file a no-case-submission to do so withinthat 21 days, even as he adjourned the matter to May 18.
It will be recalled that Justice Nyako had on July 1, 2020, denied Wadume and his co-Defendants bail, even as she ordered their transfer from the detention center of Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, to a Correctional Center.
Aside from ordering accelerated hearing of the case, Justice Nyako directed the Director-General of Nigerian Correctional Service to grant the Defendants access to medical facilities.
Though Wadume was arrested in 2019 over his alleged involvement in several kidnap incidents, he however escaped from custody on August 6, 2019, when gunmen attacked the team of policemen that arrested him.
Police alleged that he was assisted by Soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum, led by one Capt. Tijjani Balarabe.
The incident resulted in the death of three policemen and two civilians, with five other police officers badly injured.
He was re-arrested 13 days later at his hideout in Kano State.
Though Police initially charged 19 persons to court, including 10 soldiers that were accused of complicity in the crime, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, subsequently took over the prosecution and delisted the soldiers from the amended charge.
Police had complained to the court that the Nigerian Army refused to release the affected soldiers for prosecution.

More News

Wani ya yi wa tsohuwa fyaɗe har lahira

Wani jami’in ‘yan sanda mai bincike (IPO), ASP Babatunde Ashifat, a ranar Talata, ya shaida wa wata kotun laifuka da cin zarafin gida da...

Kotu ta yanke wa likita hukuncin ɗaurin rai-da-rai saboda laifin fyaɗe

Kotun laifukan lalata da cin zarafin cikin gida a jihar Legas da ke zamanta a Ikeja a ranar Talata ta yanke hukuncin daurin rai-da-rai...

President Buhari to Embark on Eight-Day Visit to Saudi Arabia, Perform Umrah

On Tuesday morning, President Muhammadu Buhari will begin an eight-day state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to perform...

Senator-Elect Yar’Adua Commits to Delivering Change for Katsina Central District

Senator-elect Abdul’aziz Yar’Adua of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Katsina Central Senatorial District has vowed to deliver on his campaign promises to the...