A prosecution witness simply identified as “ABC,” on Friday, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, how the notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Halilu, purchased a gun truck from the Niger Republic to perpetrate their terrorist act in Nigeria.
“ABC” is the 1st prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of four suspects linked to fleeing bandit leader, Bello Turji.
He was led in evidence by the Federal Government’s lawyer, David Kaswe.
The federal government arraigned the four suspected terrorists on an 11-count charge of terrorism on December 23, 2024.
The suspects – Musa Kamarawa, Abubakar Hashimu, a.k.a. Doctor; Samuel Chinedu; and Lucky Chukwuma, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Justice Emeka Nwite ordered their remand in Kuje Correctional Correctional Centre, Abuja, pending the hearing of their bail plea.
Justice Nwite rejected their bail applications and ordered an accelerated hearing of their trial.
Besides, the judge granted an ex-parte motion moved by Kaswe, seeking the protection of the witnesses and identifying them with pseudo names.
The federal government had listed eight persons in the charge sheet, but three suspects, Bello Turji, were said to be at large.
The witness, who gave his testimony in Hausa Language, said out of the four suspects in the dock, he only knew Musa Kamarawa, who he called his childhood friend.
He said: “Sometimes between 2021 and 2022, Musa is my childhood friend. He called me on phone and told me that he wants me to accompany him to Kano for the wedding fathia (ceremony) of the daughter of DSS director of Sokoto Command.
“I prepared myself on Friday and I met him in his house. When I went to his house, I met him with one of his friends called Sani Lawal Jibia (8th defendant).
“Musa told me that we are going together with Sani. We used Musa’s Honda Accord 2018 Model car. Sani Jibia was the one that drove us to Isa Local Government in Sokoto State.
“We went to the local government chairman’s house and we met him in his house.
“Musa and the local government chairman excused themselves. I didn’t know what they were discussing.
“When they finished their discussion, Musa brought out the key of the Hilux car.
“He told us that we are going with the Hilux and leaving his car in the chairman’s house. We left around 4:00 p.m. to Katsina State.
“When we arrived in Katsina the same day, we proceeded to Kano.
We arrived in Kano in the night and we started looking for hotel.”
The witness said he lodged with Sani Jibia in the same hotel while Musa rented an expensive hotel in Kano.
“We slept in the hotel and left there around 11:30 a.m. and went to the venue of the wedding fathia.
“After the wedding, we left the place around noon. We proceeded to the wedding reception,” he added.
Source: Ripples
