Yesterday, the Federal Government, as reported by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, successfully secured the conviction of some Boko Haram financiers—Modu Aisami, Zana Zarama, and Umar Kame.
The quartet pleaded guilty during a special trial held at the Federal High Court in Dawaki, Abuja, and were handed prison terms.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. M. Abubakar, one of the defendants, Aisami, was charged with providing funds for the terrorist group by buying food products.
Abubakar asserted that Aisami reasonably knew that the proceeds from these transactions would be used to commit terrorist acts. The government maintained that his actions violated Section 13(1)(a)(ii) of the Terrorism Provision Amendment Act, 2013.
In response, trial judge Justice Binta Nyako delivered her verdict, stating,
“I find him guilty as charged and he is convicted accordingly. I hereby sentence the convict to 20 years imprisonment for each of the offences. They are to run concurrently.”
Likewise, the second defendant, Zana Zarama, faced charges related to concealing the identity of a Boko Haram member, Modu Sulum.
Justice Nyako, in line with the trial proceedings, convicted Zarama and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment. Meanwhile, under the judgment of Justice Emeka Nwite, the duo of Mohammed and Kame were convicted and each received a 10-year imprisonment term.
Despite the trial being held in camera, the AGF’s Special Assistant Communication and Publicity, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele, made details of the proceedings available to newsmen, emphasizing the transparency of the legal process.
| Vanguard
