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FG fails to link me with alleged offences….Ndume

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume standing trial for alleged involvement  with fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram sect  has  asked the Federal High Court to quash the 4-count … Continue reading FG fails to link me with alleged offences….Ndume


Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume standing trial for alleged involvement  with fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram sect  has  asked the Federal High Court to quash the 4-count charge filed against him by the federal government.

The Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District told the court that the proof of evidence filed by the prosecution does not link him with the alleged criminal charges.

Senator Ndume in the motion filed on his behalf by his counsel, Ricky Tarfa (SAN) also asked the court to discharge him of the said charges.

He also noted that the court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the charges slammed against him by the federal government, and that the action constitutes an abuse of court process, adding that as at the time he was arraigned, there was a similar case pending before another court with similar charges.

According to the lawmaker, the first telephone conversation between him and the members of the sect was on October 4, 2011. He insisted that the reason the sect approached him was as a result of his being a member of the presidential committee that was inaugurated on August 2, 2011,  to address the security challenges in the north eastern part of the country.

He also noted that  prior to his appointment on the committee, he has had no contact or relationship with the spokesperson or any other member of the sect. “The prosecution has placed nothing to form the basis for me to stand trial” his counsel argued.

But the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Olufumilayo Fatunde in a counter affidavit argued that since Section 33(2) of the Federal High Court Act still subsists and is binding as a statute and the defence counsel has not controverted in their application. She therefore insisted the court should hold that the trial of the accused person must proceed summarily.

She added that the accused person did not say that the proof of evidence did not establish any link between the accused person and the charges for which he is standing trial, saying that there is sufficient link between the accused person and the offences for which he was charged before the court.

Having listened to the submissions of the counsels in the matter, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned till June 15, 2012 to rule on the application and that the bail of the accused person continues.

Ndume is standing trial for allegedly hoarding information on planned terror attacks and providing logistics to the convicted spokesman of the Boko Haram sect.

He is also accused of providing telephone numbers of certain public officers, including the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), on or about October 4, to Ali Konduga for the purpose of communicating terrorist messages to the said persons.

He is also alleged to have been in possession of Konduga’s mobile phone number but failed to disclose it to a law officer within reasonable time, knowing that it will be of material assistance in arresting Konduga, contrary to section 7(1) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011.