SAN FRANCISCO, July 09, (THEWILL) – As the trial continues Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja in the case involving a Kogi State University lecturer, Dr. Nazeef Yusuf, and two others over alleged terrorism activities, the Federal Government tendered, as evidence, weapons, including two AK 47 rifles allegedly recovered from the lecturer and the two other accused.
The accused, Yunus, an Arabic and Islamic Studies teacher, is being tried along with Umar Musa and Salami Abdullahi before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight-count charge.
When the case came up for hearing Wednesday, the prosecution team led by Mrs. N.B Jones-Nebo tendered the items, which included 60 live ammunition, two magazines and two AK47 rifles, through the third prosecution witness, an exhibit keeper with the Department of State Service (DSS).
The defence lawyers, including Hassan Liman (SAN), James Ocholi (SAN) and Abdul Mohammed, however objected to the admission of the riffles as exhibits by the court, arguing that there were discrepancies in the witness’ description of the rifles.
But Justice Kolawole overruled their objection as he admitted the riffles and other items as exhibits in the case.
He also upheld the prosecution lawyer’s counter argument that since the witness had suffiently identified the rifles as those retrieved from the accused persons and kept in his custody, the objection raised by the defence was misconceived and unnecessary.
Justice Kolawole however held in a ruling that the defence lawyers failed to show that the serial numbers with which the witness identified the rifles were not correct as he further held that the additional numbers seen on the riffles by the defence lawyers did not distract from the fact that the riffles were those identified by the witness.
Also ruling on Ocholi’s argument that there was no label on the rifles to show that they were AK 47, the judge held that Ocholi was wrong to have expected the witness, introduced as an exhibit keeper, to think as a ballistic /weapon expert.
He therefore held that the defence’ “ground of objection was not well founded,” adding “In conclusion, the AK47 are admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits UMA1 and UMA2.”
He however adjourned further hearing in the matter to September 25 as he ordered that the three accused persons be returned to the Kuje Prison, Abuja, where they have been detained since last year when they were arrested.
