Kabiru Umar, alias Kabiru
Sokoto, was on Friday
sentenced to life imprisonment
by an Abuja Federal High Court
for his role in terrorist
activities, including the
December 25, 2011 bombing
of St. Theresa's Catholic Church
in Madalla, Niger State.
He was the governor of Sokoto
State in the hierarchy of the
Boko Haram group, according
to evidence that emerged in
the course of his trial, which
lasted six months.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola found
him guilty of facilitating
terrorist activities in Sokoto
State, and having prior
knowledge of the bomb attack
at St. Theresa's Catholic Church.
Kabiru Sokoto, who was finally
apprehended by operatives of
the State Security Service in the
Borno State Governor's Lodge
in Abuja after escaping from
the custody of police officers
who initially arrested him, was
arraigned by the Federal
Government on April 19, 2013
on a two count charge
bordering on terrorism.
In count one of the charge, the
Federal Government informed
the court that, between 2007
and 2012, the Boko Haram
kingpin facilitated bomb
attacks on the police
headquarters in Sokoto State
and some other government
organisations in the state, an
offence contrary to section
15(2) of Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(Establishment) Act 2004.
In count two, he was accused
of having prior information of
the bombing of St. Theresa's
Catholic Church but refused to
disclose such to law
enforcement officers, an
offence contrary to section
7(1) of Terrorism and
Prevention Act 2011.
Following Kabiru Sokoto's claim
that
he does not understand
English language, the trial had
to be conducted with the aid
of an interpreter, who
translated exchanges in Hausa
and English languages.
But evidence emerged in the
course of the proceedings that
the Boko Haram kingpin
actually understood English
language, having obtained four
credits
in the Senior School
Certificate Examination which
he wrote in English.
At a point in the trial, Kabiru
Sokoto openly disagreed with
the interpreter over the
interpretation given to a
statement he made in Hausa
Language.
Kabiru Sokoto had denied the
two-count charge during his
arraignment, with his lawyers
claiming that he was tortured
before he made the
confessional statement
tendered as evidence by the
prosecution, in which he
owned up to the crimes.
The defence counsel, led by
Adamu Ibrahim, also argued
that the prosecuting counsel,
Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, did not
prove the allegations made
against the suspect.
Six prosecution witnesses,
who testified against Kabiru
Sokoto, insisted that he was
guilty of the charge brought
against him.
In the testimony he gave in his
own defence, Kabiru Sokoto
insisted on his innocence.
However, delivering judgment
in the matter on Friday, Justice
Ademola held that Sokoto's
confessional statement, in
which he owned up to the
crimes, was factual evidence.
"This court classifies the
confessional statement as
freely and voluntarily made by
the accused person as
recorded by the witness,"
Justice Ademola said.
He went ahead to quote
portions of the statement in
which Kabiru Sokoto admitted
his role in facilitating terrorist
activities in Kano.
In the statement, Kabiru Sokoto
had
said, "Here in Abaji (a
satellite town in the Federal
Capital Territory) nobody
knows that I am a Boko Haram
member. I have about 500
children that I teach as an
Islamic instructor.
"Some of my members are in
Mabira, Sokoto. I planted them
to bomb the police
headquarters in Sokoto and I
purchased four AK 47 rifles
with about 2000 live
ammunition."
Continuing, Justice Ademola
noted that the statement was
also corroborated by the
account of one of the Boko
Haram members arrested in
Sokoto State, who informed SSS
investigators
that they were
planted by Kabiru Sokoto,
"who is the governor of
Sokoto State in the hierarchy of
Boko Haram."
"This court finds as a fact that
the accused person (SKabiru
okoto) was the mastermind of
the terrorist act in Mabira,
Sokot State," Justice Ademola
said.
Also quoting part of Kabiru
Sokoto's confessional
statement, Justice Ademola
held that he was indeed guilty
of having prior knowledge of
the bomb attack on St.
Theresa's Catholic Church and
refusing to disclose same to
security agents.
Sokoto was quoted to have
said in the statement that "The
Madalla (St. Theresa's Catholic
Church) bombing was carried
out by one Bashir Mohammed
and other persons who I
cannot remember or know
their name but if their leader
Suleiman is arrested, he will
shed more light on the incident
because
I was not directly
involved."
Justice Ademola held that
Kabiru Sokoto lied when he
disowned the confessional
statement attributed to him.
He noted that Sokoto's false
claim that he does not
understand English was an
indication of the fact that he
lied to the court.
"This court finds that the
accused person was
economical with the truth right
from the beginning of this trial
when he claimed that he does
not understand English
language.cused
person's knowledge of English,
as well as obtaining four
credits in SSCE – and he wrote
his examinations in English
language.
"The accused person is not a
credible witness; he is a
pathological liar who has no
respect for the truth."
Concluding, the judge added,
"The prosecution has proved it
case and this court finds him
guilty beyond reasonable
doubt. Accordingly the accused
person is as guilty as charged."
Interestingly, just as Justice
Ademola was about to
pronounce sentence on
Sokoto, his lawyers begged the
judge to "temper justice with
mercy" because the convict has
aged
parents, a wife and two
kids to take care of.
The defence counsel equally
urged the judge to have mercy
on Sokoto because he has not
had the opportunity to see his
family since he was
incarcerated about two years
ago.
But Justice Ademola stressed
that Kabiru Sokoto does not
deserve mercy, having failed to
show any form of remorse
throughout the trial.
The judge also condemned
Kabiru Sokoto's claim that he
does not understand English, a
development which made the
trial cumbersome as an
interpreter had to translate
every statement made in the
course of the proceedings.
"If he can take us for six
months translating when he
actually understands, then you
will understand what I am
talking about," the judge said,
adding that the crime was
even more condemnable
because it occurred on a
Christmas Day.
He therefore sentenced Kabiru
Sokoto to life imprisonment on
count one of the charge, in line
with the provisions of section
15(2) of EFCC (Establishment)
Act 2004, and 10 years
imprisonment on count two, as
stipulated
by section 7(1) of
Terrorism and Prevention Act,
2011.
Justice Ademola ordered that
the two sentences will run
consecutively, which meant
that Kabiru Sokoto will serve
the life sentence first, before
serving the 10 years prison
term.
The judge in the same vein
urged the security agencies to
investigate the circumstances
surrounding Kabiru Sokoto's
arrest in the Borno State
Governor's Lodge in Asokoro,
Abuja.
According to Justice Ademola,
"The police are yet to
investigate the circumstances
surrounding the arrest of the
accused person in the Borno
State Governor's Lodge in
Abuja – the seat of power.
"The members of the
organisation (Boko Haram)
have permeated all levels of
government, the police have a
duty to investigate and bring
other persons involved to
book.
"It is imperative that security
forces finish off this
investigation so that we can
get to the root of this."
The judgment held amid tight
security at the Abuja FHC, and
immediately after the
proceedings, heavily armed SSS
operatives whisked Kabiru
Sokoto off to prison.
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