The Federal Government has lined up four witnesses who will be testifying against Tukur Mamu in a 10-count charge filed against him.
Aderonke Imana, an Assistant Chief State Counsel, Federal Ministry of Justice, told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, shortly after Mr Mamu, alleged terrorist negotiator, was arraigned.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mamu, who pleaded not guilty to the 10 counts, prayed the for a bail on the grounds of ill-health.
Earlier upon resumed hearing, Imana informed that the matter was slated for plea and she was ready to proceed.
And following a plea of not guilty by Mamu, who was a sole defendant in the charge, the judge asked the FG’s lawyer how many witnesses would be called.“We have four witnesses my lord and they are within the jurisdiction of the court though some are in Kaduna,” she said.
Sani Katu, SAN, then, told the court that a bail application dated March 8 and supported by 21-paragraph affidavit, an exhibit with a written address had been filed, where issue of bail was captured.
The senior lawyer, who also said a further and better affidavit had been filed, urged the court to grant his client the constitutional right of bail.
He said though the prosecution served on them a counter affidavit in opposition to the bail plea this morning, he argued that an issue of bail was at the discretion of the court.
Katu said besides, Mamu was suffering from a disease that required medical surgery.
“I don’t think such can be done in DSS (Department of State Services) custody,” he said.
In opposing the application, FG’s lawyer, Imana, prayed the court to dismiss Mamu’s bail application.
She adopted the counter affidavit dated March 21 with a written address and exhibits filed to disagreed with the bail plea.
According to her, from our exhibit, it was stated from our medical experts that Mamu has been stable.
The lawyer argued that the DSS was able to take care of Mamu’s medical condition, urging the court to dismiss the application.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to a date which would be communicated to the parties for a ruling on the bail plea.
The judge, however, ordered Mamu to remain in the DSS custody pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.
NAN reports Justice Nkeonye Maha of a sister court had, on Sept. 13, 2022, gave the DSS a go-ahead to detain the former terrorists’ negotiator for 60 days to enable it conclude its investigation on Mamu, who led the negotiation with the terrorists for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers kidnaped in March 2022.
The order followed his arrest on Sept. 7, 2022 by Egyptian decurity officials at the Cairo International Airport, on reasonable suspicion of financing Boko Haram terrorism activities.
He was alleged to have convinced the terrorists to discuss ransom payments with individual families of the hostages of the train attack instead of the Chief of Defense Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government for his personal financial gain.
He was said to have been nominated by the terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train sometime in March 2022 which took scores of persons hostage.
Mamu was alleged to have collected ransoms on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages, confirmed the amount and facilitated the delivery of same to the terrorists.
He was said to be in possession of large sums of unexplained cash and property that he tried to conceal upon arrest by directing his proxies to change their locations.
Though Mamu was said to have denied these allegations, witness and victim statements and the investigation by the security outfit was said to have revealed a prima facie case against him.
(NAN)
