The Federal Government, on Monday, secured the conviction of four Boko Haram financiers.
The quartet- Modu Aisami, Zana Zarama, Umar Mohammed Bunu Kame- were convicted and handed prison terms, after they pleaded guilty to charges that FG preferred against them during a special trial the Federal High Court held at Dawaki in Abuja.
While the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, led FG’s legal team, the defence counsel was led by the Director, Criminal Justice Department at the Legal Aid Council (LAC), F A Bakre.
The defendants, who were docked before Justice Binta Nyako and Justice Emeka Nwite, pleaded for leniency after the charges were separately read to them.
According to the charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, DPPF, Mr. M. B. Abubakar, one of the defendants, Aisami, provided funds for the terrorist group by buying food products from them.
He was accused to have reasonably known that proceeds from the transactions would be used to commit terrorist act.
FG maintained that he had by his actions, committed an offence contrary to Section 13(1)(a)(ii) of the Terrorism Provision Amendment Act, 2013.
Delivering her verdict after the defendant admitted that he was guilty of the allegation, trial Justice Nyako convicted him on counts 2 and 3 of the charge.
“I find him guilty as charged and he is convicted accordingly.
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“I hereby sentence the convict to 20 years imprisonment for each of the offence. They are to run concurrently,” Justice Nyako held.
Likewise, the trial judge convicted the second defendant, Zarama, and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment for concealing the identity of a Boko Haram member, Modu Sulum.
Justice Nyako held that the jail terms should run from the day the convicts were arrested and remanded in custody.
In his own judgement, Justice Nwite convicted the duo of Mohammed and Kame to 10 years imprisonment.
Even though the trial was held in camera, the AGF, through his Special Assistant Communication & Publicity, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele, made details of the proceedings available to newsmen on Monday night.
