A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday fixed July 4 for ruling on the no-case submission filed by a former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, seeking an order terminating his trial on terrorism charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Ndume, through his no-case submission, is seeking an order discharging him of charges including supporting Boko Haram, and failure to disclose material information arising from his alleged relationship with the sect.

His no-case submission was anchored on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to lead evidence linking him to the alleged offences.

In denying the charges on Tuesday, Ndume explained how he came in contact with the sect and how he disclosed the necessary information about his interaction with the sect to the then Vice President and the then Director-General of the State Security Service.

But the Federal Government insisted on Tuesday that it had led sufficient evidence showing Ndume’s complicity in the alleged offences, thus the need for him to offer some explanations.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole fixed the date for ruling after hearing both the defence and the prosecution on Tuesday.

The Federal Government had on December 12, 2011, arraigned Ndume on four counts of terrorism charges.

The prosecution had alleged a link between Ndume and a suspected member of Boko Haram, Ali Konduga, who had since been convicted and sentenced for terrorism charge‎s.

Ndume was accused of, among other counts, sponsoring the Boko Haram sect, and failing to disclose the phone number of Konduga, which was alleged to be in his (Ndume’s) possession.

He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecution commenced trial on July 3, 2012, and closed its case on June 22, 2016, after calling a total of nine witnesses.

The prosecution also tendered five exhibits two of which were phones with which Ndume allegedly communicated with Boko Haram member.

Justice Kolawole had adjourned until July 9, 2016, for the defendant to open his defence.

But instead of opening his defence, the defendant, through his counsel filed a no-case submission on August 16, 2016, arguing that he should be discharged on the grounds of absence of any evidence led by the prosecution linking him to the alleged offences.

The no-case submission was anchored on Section 303, among other provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Adopting his client’s addresses on Tuesday, Tarfa insisted that an analysis of the phone conversation between Ndume and Konduga, failed to disclose any fact warranting the Senator from Borno State to offer any defence.

He explained that Ndume’s contact with Boko Haram came about when the senator was a member of the Presidential Committee on Security Matters in the North-East of the country.

The lawyer said, “We have taken the counts from one to four and have analysed them.

“Clearly, there is nothing in the evidence led by the prosecution that will necessitate the defendant to be called upon to enter his defence in the charge.

“Clearly from the totality of the evidence placed before the court, the defendant coming into contact with the Boko Haram sect came about when he was acting on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the presidential committee set up to look at the security challenges in the North-East part of the country.

“The evidence is clear and has been confirmed through cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses.


http://punchng.com/ex-vp-ex-sss-boss-were-aware-of-my-communication-with-boko-haram-ndume/

They shud ask better Pple like babagida and buhari. Of boko haram not this man