two others alleged to be members of
Boko Haram has been stalled, following
the demand of a witness to wear a
mask which was not readily available in
court.
Ruling on an application by the Federal
Government for a secret trial, Justice
Gabriel Kolawole ordered a partial
secret trial in order to protect the
identity of the witnesses.
The Judge said that witnesses testifying
during the public trial of the university
lecturer, Dr Muhammed Yunus, Salami
Abdullahi and Musa Umar should be
shielded from public view.
The court also ordered that witnesses
who are to testify in court would not
disclose their residential addresses but
use the headquarters of the Department
of State Security, DSS, as their
addresses.
Giving reasons why the witnesses
should be shielded, Justice Kolawole
said that care must be taken not to
expose witnesses to attack by any group
or individual and create problem where
the state cannot find witnesses to
testify.
Having ruled on the application for
secret trial, the court went on break to
enable the prosecution produce the first
witness.
At the resumption of trial, the suspects
were arraigned and they all pleaded not
guilty to the eight count charge but the
trial was stalled as the prosecutor
informed the court of their witness
demand to wear a mask.
Lawyers to the accused persons, Hassan
Liman and Abdul Mohammed criticised
the request of the witness to wear a
mask when there was non readily
available in court.
Justice Kolawole, however, adjourned
trial to May 6 and 7, saying the court
had ordered an accelerated trial and
would do its best to protect the
witnesses.
The accused persons, Dr Muhammed
Nazeef Yunus, Salami Abdullahi and
Musa Umar are being tried on an eight
count charge bordering on alleged
terrorism, an offence that runs contrary
to section 17 of the Terrorism
Prevention Act 2013 (as amended).
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