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FG Fixes Date To Begin Trial Of All Boko Haram Suspects In Detention
Nigerian government at the weekend announced that the arraignment of suspected Boko Haram suspects in detention facilities nationwide will start on Monday, October 7, 2017.
This is contained in a statement by Salihu Othman Isah, spokesman to Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
It also gave update on status of terrorism cases as at September 2017.
These are: Concluded cases: 13; Convictions: 9; Ongoing trials at various Federal High Court Divisions: 33 cases; Charges filed awaiting trial in Kainji: 116 cases; Detainees recommended for release/deradicalisation programme for want of evidence: 220.
Detainees profiled at the Kainji Detention Facility awaiting judicial proceedings/ deradicalisation programme: 1670; Detainees remanded at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri and transferred from Giwa Barracks to Maiduguri Prisons: 651.
The statement listed challenges affect the prosecution as: “Poorly investigated case files due to pressure during the peak of conflict at the theatre; Over reliance on confession based evidence; Lack of forensic evidence; Converting military intelligence to admissible evidence.”
Others are: “Absence of cooperation between investigators and prosecutors at pre investigation stages; Poor logistical facilities to transport defendants from detention facility to court for trial; Scarcity of skilled/trained forensic personnel to handle investigation of complex cases; Inadequate security for counsel handling terrorism cases.”
“Categorisation of the suspects: It will be noted that there are four categories of suspects at the Kainji detention facility mentioned above. These suspects are;
“Boko Haram suspects who were hitherto investigated by the Joint Investigation Team set up by the Defence Headquarters otherwise known as DHQ/JIT and case files transmitted to the AGF and after a careful review of the cases based on their individual merit.
“It was discovered that they have no prima facie cases that will sustain a charge against them in any court of law hence were recommended for release and handed over to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for rehabilitation and/or de-radicalisation.
“The second category is the set of suspects that the Honourable Attorney-General found prima facie cases against them and charges already filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division who are also mostly in the detention facility under reference and may be willing to plead guilty for a lesser sentences.
“The other category are the suspects whose case file are either recommended for further investigation or that have no investigation conducted on them at all hence they do not have case files that will warrant the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to form any opinion in respect of their case.
“Lastly, the fourth category is the suspects whose cases were reviewed and a prima facie were found and may be willing to opt for a full trial.
“From the above categorisation, it is important to state that the number of the suspects affected by any of the aforementioned categories would only be determined when the trial has commenced.”
