Court: THISDAY Bomber Must Stand Trial

                     

                                                        Mustapha Umar

I was tortured to confess, says suspect
Tobi Soniyi

A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, Tuesday ruled that Mustapha Umar, charged with attempting  to bomb a building occupied in Kaduna by THISDAY and two other media houses, has a case to answer.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in a ruling, dismissed the no-case submission made by the accused person after the prosecution closed its case.

However, Umar while giving evidence yesterday, said he was tortured by investigators and made to confess to an offence he did not commit.

Umar had in his no-case submission, argued that the prosecution failed to make out a prima facie case against him.
He also argued that all evidence led by the prosecution did not link him to the charges levelled against him
His lawyer, Nureini Sulaiman, prayed the court to set his client free.

But the judge upheld the prosecution's counter argument  that sufficient evidence establishing a prima facie case against the accused person, had been laid before the court.

The judge consequently called on him to open his defence.
Umar, a suspected Boko Haram member, is charged with terrorism-related offences over the explosion which partly damaged SOJ Plaza located on Kontagora Road, Kaduna and  occupied by THISDAY, SUN and The Moment newspapers.

Following the judge's ruling, Umar testified yesterday as the only defence witness.
He denied the allegations against him.

The suspect also denied making the confessional statement contained   in a video evidence already tendered by the prosecution.
Umar said the video, where he admitted the charge, was doctored by his interrogators, whom he accused of excluding where he was tortured and compelled to confess to the crime.

Justice Ademola, therefore, adjourned till September 30 for parties to adopt their final written submissions.