The re-scheduled arraignment of the alleged kingpin of the April 14, 2014 Nyanya bombing in Abuja, Aminu Ogwuche, and six others before a Federal High Court in Abuja was again stalled on Friday.
Lack of personnel, who would interpret the charges from English to Hausa for some of the accused persons was responsible for the setback at the Friday’s proceedings.
The arraignment had earlier been stalled on February 6, 2015 because some of the accused persons had yet to procure legal services for their defence.
On Friday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, informed the lawyers of all the parties in the case that the court’s interpreter, Mr. Murtala Abdullahi, had on a compassionate ground travelled to attend to his ailing wife who was critically ill.
“If official language of communication is not understood by the accused persons, then their right to fair hearing will be breached,” he said.
He, however, sought the cooperation of the lawyers so that the case can be treated and determined with dispatch.
“This is a passionate plea for understanding and cooperation,” the judge said.
Responding on behalf of other lawyers, the Ogwuche’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), said they had briefly met and had an understanding to work towards the speedy determination of the case.
He added that the defence would not ask for bail for the accused persons in order not to delay the matter.
The terrorism offences the accused persons were charged with are by their nature not ones which the accused are granted bail.
He, therefore asked for an accelerated hearing of the case.
Justice Mohammed then adjourned the matter till March 6.
The other six accused are Akhmad Rufai Abubakar (aka Abu Ibrahim/Maitirare), Mohammed Sani Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu (aka Kofar Rama), Anas Isah, Adamu Yusuf and Nasiru Abubakar.
Meanwhile, the person who allegedly drove the explosive laden Volkswagen Golf car, used for the bombing, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar (aka Dr. Tsiga), was said to be at large.
Another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, had earlier in November 2014, struck out the charges initially filed against Ogwuche by the police.
The charges filed by police were part of the requirement for extraditing Ogwuche from Sudan, where he allegedly escaped to after the bombing.
But the charges were struck out by Justice Ademola for want of diligent prosecution after the police failed to produce the accused persons in court months after the charges were filed.
The seven accused persons in the newly filed charges are accused of conspiracy, engaging in act of terrorism, belonging to Boko Haram, an outlawed group and refusal to disclose to security agencies, information that would have helped prevented act of terrorism.
Ogwuche was, in count six, accused of rendering supports to a terrorist group by giving money at different times and places in Abuja to the widows of members of the terrorist organisation known as Boko Haram
He and Abubakar (aka Dr. Tsiga) were, in count seven, accused of carrying out “surveillance and identified Silverbird Galleria and other locations as potential targets of terrorist attack.”
The accused persons were said to have committed offences contrary to and punishable under sections 1(2)(a) &(b), 5(b),8(b) 16, 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
On Friday, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Diri, effected some amendments to the fresh charge.http://www.punchng.com/news/nyanya-bombing-lack-of-interpreter-stalls-suspects-arraignment/