Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted and sentenced 11 Boko Haram members to various jail terms ranging from 60 to 40 years imprisonment on offences preferred against them by the federal government under the Terrorism (Prohibition and Prevention) Act.
Justice Egwuatu however said, their sentence will run concurrently commencing from the date of their arrest.
Those convicted to various jail terms were Musa Mustapha; Ali Mohammed; Babagana Ali; Abacha Abba; Ali Abbagana Umar; Kadi Agwala; Yahaya Umara; Alhaji Ari; Goni Mustapha; Ali Modu and Alhaji Fannaya.
The judge ordered in his judgement that, the convicts be rehabilitated and de-radicalized after serving their various jail terms.
They were docked on various count charges bordering on belonging to a proscribed organization known as the Boko Haram sect and rendering materials and logistics support to members of the group.
The convicts were sentenced following their guilty plea to the offences in open court as well as in their extra judicial statements.
Justice Egwuatu in handing down their various jail terms, held that court is allowed to summarily convicts the defendants upon an admission of quilt without calling on the prosecution to prove his case and added that the court can convict an accused person upon his confessional statement.
In the case of Alhaji Fannaya, a Boko Haram member from Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, he was convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the four-count charge preferred against him.
This was after he pleaded guilty to four out of the five count charges slammed against him.
Abacha Abba, a confessed Boko Haram member from Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno, was also convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the three-count charges including, conveying weapons to members of the sect and receiving training instructions on weapon handling.
On his part, Ali Babagana Umar was convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the two-counts charges including rendering support to Boko Haram members.
Kadi Agwala of Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, was also sentenced and convicted to 20 years on each of the two-counts for rendering support to members of Boko Haram.
The federal government on Monday, commenced a mass trial of 500 terrorism suspects before ten Judges of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The trial which runs simultaneously in all the courts on a daily basis continues on Friday.
END
Comments