The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has admitted as exhibit, the statement of Fatai Adeyinka, who sold a Mazda car used by the alleged mastermind of the October 1, 2010, Charles Okah in the Abuja bombing that killed 12 people.
Adeyinka’s statement was admitted by the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole on Tuesday, despite objections raised by the defence counsel.
The exhibit was tendered through the third federal government witness, Chukwuma Igwe, a staff of the Department of State Security Service, who also informed the court that he took Adeyinka’s statement.
Igwe told the court that he was instructed by his boss, Abdul Abubakar, to take the statement when Adeyinka, an illiterate, told them that he can not read and write in English language.
But the defence counsels in their objection, said that Adeyinka’s statement was not admissible through the witness, because they cannot cross examine him on the content of the statement.
In his ruling, Justice Kolawole ruled that the objections raised by the defence had failed to take cognizance of the background and the fact that Mr Igwe was not the maker of the statement, but that he recorded it.
He further ruled that the defence is free to cross examine the witness on the procedure adopted by him to take the witness.
Further hearing has been adjourned till November 4 .
