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Treason trial: Mustapha, others
allege threat to lives
By Maxwell
Oditta
senior
correspondent,
Lagos
The three accused persons in
the ongoing security breach trial, Hamza Al Mustapha, Muhammed Umar Adeka
and Onwuchekwe Okorie at the Federal High Court on Monday alleged fresh
threats to their lives.
On behalf of the accused
persons, defence counsels Hassan Fajimite and Alex Akpaka allege that a
mystery Lt-Colonel, who they said was not part of team detailed by the
Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to guard the suspects, has been
trailing the convoy that conveys the accused persons with a possible
intent of liquidating them in what might turn out to be a contrived
accident.
Unfolding the barrage of
complaints in respect to threat to lives, Fajimite recounted how on
November 8, when the matter came up in court, Adeka noticed the said Lt
Colonel who came inquiring about his identity. Adeka noticed the same Lt
Colonel, wearing a different nametag, the counsel alleged.
� That same Lt Colonel was also
noticed on December 16 with a different name tag. When the vehicle
conveying the suspects came to the court premises, the Lt Colonel took
charge of where the vehicle should park. He tried to open the door, but
the door could not open. My client fears for his life. He has tried to
write the Chief of Army Staff through the Commandant, 118 Intelligence
Command, Apapa, but the DMI did not allow him to put his complain into
writing�, Fajimite said.
Alex Akpaka, appearing for the
civilian member of the group, warned against a recurrence of the history
of accidental discharge like the case of the Audu brothers when someone
will be shot in the pretext of escaping. Only those who are officially
detailed to accompany them should do so, Akpaka pleaded, adding:
� The justice of the rest in
this case is the preservation of the lives of the accused persons. Now
that their lives is at stake, the matter demands utmost
urgency.�
In his ruling, Justice Abutu
said it was certainly not in the power of the court to direct the DMI on
who should bring the accused person or who should direct where the car
that brought them should be parked. He upheld the prosecution�s position
that were the said Lt Colonel not a member of the DMI team, the security
detail would not have obliged him when he gave them instructions.
Justice Abutu advised the
complaining counsels to express their fears in writing to the military
authorities through the lead prosecution counsel. He adjourned hearing to
January 13 and 14, 2005, after chiding the prosecution for making what he
called a frivolous call for adjournment.
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