Prosecution
in the ongoing trial of the alleged master mind of the 2011 Christmas
day bombing in Madalla, Niger State, Kabiru Sokoto on Thursday closed
its case after calling six witnesses. This was just as Kabiru Sokoto through his counsel told the court that he would be filing a no case submission.
A no case submission is filed by a defendant to show the court that the prosecution has not established any case against him.
Kabiru is being tried on a two-count charge.
Before announcing the closure of its case yesterday, prosecution counsel, Mrs Chioma Unuegbu called three witnesses.
The witnesses, who had their identity hidden; identified only as officials of the State Security Service (SSS), wore masks.
They told the court how they obtained statement from the accused person, who spoke to his interrogators in Hausa. One of the witnesses was also an official who translated the accused person’s statement into English language.
They referred to some portions of the statement, where Umar allegedly gave an idea of how the sect operates.
In a particular instance, Umar said, in the statement that he learnt that the group’s commanding body, the Shurah is concerned with planning and strategising for the sect’s operations, while the other members are involved in the execution of the plans well-being of other members.
At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, defence counsel, Hassan Lukman sought a fresh date for the defence to make a no-case submission.
He said the defence would contend that no shred of evidence by the prosecution linked the accused to the alleged offence.
The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola who granted the defence’s request, adjourned to June 7 for adoption of parties’ written submissions in respect of the no-case submission.
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