Kabiru Sokoto (left) with security men, after his arraignment at the Federal High Court Abuja
State
Security Service on Wednesday arranged a suspected Boko Haram kingpin,
Kabiru Umar, alias Kabiru Sokoto, before a Federal High Court, Abuja on
three counts of terrorism.
The suspect, linked to the December 25,
2011 bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, in
which many lives were lost, appeared calm throughout the proceedings.
Besides, he is standing trial for
planning to bomb the police headquarters in Sokoto State as well as
training and inciting about 500 men to commit terror acts in Abaji, on
the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory.
Sokoto, who appeared in court amid tight security, was dressed in an ash coloured kaftan with rolled-up sleeves.
The SSS, however, could not arraign him because he had no lawyer to represent him.
The hearing was stalled initially
following Sokoto’s claims that he did not understand English Language,
though he spoke fluently in the language while responding to questions
asked by the presiding judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi.
At the commencement of the proceedings,
the judge asked Sokoto, “Do you speak English?”, to which he replied,
“Not very well, I cannot speak very well.”
Justice Adeniyi impressed with Sokoto’s fluency in English Language, added, “You are speaking very well now.”
The suspect smiled at the judge’s comment.
Continuing, the judge asked, “Do you have a lawyer?”
“No,” said Sokoto.
“Which language do you speak,?” the judge further asked.
Sokoto said, “Hausa.”
The judge then called for an interpreter.
However, with the official court
interpreter absent, the judge asked one of the court clerks, who had
earlier voluntarily interpreted some of Sokoto’s statements, if he could
take up the role.
Turning to the court clerk, the judge asked, “Do you speak Hausa?”
The court clerk said “yes”. But when the
judge then asked him “Do you understand Hausa?”, the clerk surprised
the courtroom saying, “No.”
The incident drew laughter from those in the courtroom.
The proceedings had to be stood down for about 30 minutes before the official court interpreter arrived.
When the matter resumed eventually,
prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, said she just filed amended
charges against the suspect on Wednesday morning.
She said, “We have an amended charge dated March 19, 2013, and filed this morning.”
The judge expressed displeasure at the
development, especially as the prosecution counsel also said she had yet
to file the proof of evidence and exhibits.
The judge added, “In this type of
matter, because of the nature of the charge, the Federal High Court will
like to fast track this case.
“This matter was filed on March 7, 2013, and we only informed you yesterday (Wednesday) to come to court.
“The thinking of this court is that if we had not informed you to come to court you would not have filed amended charges.”
The prosecution counsel said she would file all necessary processes before the next adjourned date.
She said, “If the defendant takes a plea, before the next adjourned date the proof of evidence and exhibits will be filed.”
Justice Adeniyi then asked Sokoto
whether he would like to engage the services of a lawyer, or in the
alternative defend himself.
Sokoto said, “I wish to engage the
services of a lawyer. I only knew I was coming to court this morning.
Therefore, I need two weeks to get a lawyer.”
In his ruling, Justice Adeniyi gave Sokoto one month to get a lawyer.
He adjourned the matter to April 19,
2013 and ordered the prosecution to file all outstanding processes,
including proof of evidence and exhibits, before that date.
The judge added that all the processes be served on Sokoto, at least, seven days before the hearing date.
Justice Adeniyi also ordered the continued detention of the suspect in the SSS custody.
Sokoto sought, and got the permission of the court to make a statement.
Speaking through the interpreter, he said, “Since I was detained, I have had no access to the outside world.
“I want the SSS to allow me access to lawyers.”
The judge ordered the SSS to allow the suspect access to lawyers of his choice.
PUNCH
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