I was mandated by the Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in
the North-East to contact Boko Haram and find out what they want,
embattled Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume told a Federal High Court, Abuja
yesterday.
The Senator representing Borno South district is facing a four-count charge of a terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government even as the judge threatened to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution, should the latter continues to ask for adjournment.
Senator Ndume, while denying working for the Islamist sect, told Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his affidavit to support his motion to quash the charge, that Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Director of State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, were aware of his contacts with the dreaded fundamentalists.
Besides, he said he had in the discharge of his assignment forwarded a DVD he obtained from the sect to Mr Ekpeyong for review, adding that all his actions with respect to the Boko Haram were for and on behalf of the said presidential committee.
The Senator averred in the 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Hauwa Abubakar, a legal practitioner in the law firm of Ricky Tarfa [SAN] that those members of the Boko Haram had refuted the claim that it had links with him.
Ndume on trial for allegedly hoarding information on planned terror attacks and providing logistics to the convicted Boko Haram’s spokesman, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usman AI- Zawahiri).
He has, however, filed a motion through his counsel, Tarfa (SAN), pursuant to Section 6(6) (b) of the 1999 Constitution seeking an order of court to quash the charge against him.
According to Ndume, the Proof of Evidence filed by the prosecution does not link him with the alleged criminal charges, adding also that the charge is devoid of essential ingredients to suggest the commission of the offences for which he stands charged.
He told the court that the alleged offences in the charge are vague and imprecise, adding also that the court lacks the jurisdiction and competence to hear and determine the alleged offences as contained in the charge.
Justice Kolawole gave seven days to the defence counsel to serve the prosecution with all the necessary processes and that the prosecution should file and serve response to the motion on notice within 14 days. He said that the defence should respond on point of law within seven days of service.
The judge frowned at the delay by the prosecution and threatened to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution should the Federal Government continues to ask for adjournment.
Ndume is also accused of providing telephone numbers of certain public officers, including the Attorney-General of the Federation/Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), on or about October 4, 2011, to Konduga for the purpose of communicating terrorist messages to the said persons.
Further hearing of the matter and determination of the motion seeking for quashing of the charge against Ndume was fixed for April 26.
The Senator representing Borno South district is facing a four-count charge of a terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government even as the judge threatened to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution, should the latter continues to ask for adjournment.
Senator Ndume, while denying working for the Islamist sect, told Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his affidavit to support his motion to quash the charge, that Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Director of State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, were aware of his contacts with the dreaded fundamentalists.
Besides, he said he had in the discharge of his assignment forwarded a DVD he obtained from the sect to Mr Ekpeyong for review, adding that all his actions with respect to the Boko Haram were for and on behalf of the said presidential committee.
The Senator averred in the 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Hauwa Abubakar, a legal practitioner in the law firm of Ricky Tarfa [SAN] that those members of the Boko Haram had refuted the claim that it had links with him.
Ndume on trial for allegedly hoarding information on planned terror attacks and providing logistics to the convicted Boko Haram’s spokesman, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usman AI- Zawahiri).
He has, however, filed a motion through his counsel, Tarfa (SAN), pursuant to Section 6(6) (b) of the 1999 Constitution seeking an order of court to quash the charge against him.
According to Ndume, the Proof of Evidence filed by the prosecution does not link him with the alleged criminal charges, adding also that the charge is devoid of essential ingredients to suggest the commission of the offences for which he stands charged.
He told the court that the alleged offences in the charge are vague and imprecise, adding also that the court lacks the jurisdiction and competence to hear and determine the alleged offences as contained in the charge.
Justice Kolawole gave seven days to the defence counsel to serve the prosecution with all the necessary processes and that the prosecution should file and serve response to the motion on notice within 14 days. He said that the defence should respond on point of law within seven days of service.
The judge frowned at the delay by the prosecution and threatened to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution should the Federal Government continues to ask for adjournment.
Ndume is also accused of providing telephone numbers of certain public officers, including the Attorney-General of the Federation/Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), on or about October 4, 2011, to Konduga for the purpose of communicating terrorist messages to the said persons.
Further hearing of the matter and determination of the motion seeking for quashing of the charge against Ndume was fixed for April 26.
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