Convicted Boko Haram member, Kabiru Umar (also known as Kabiru Sokoto) has accused agents of the Federal Government of frustrating his efforts to appeal his conviction and sentence.
Sokoto was on December 20, 2013 sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja in connection with 2011 Christmas day bomb blast that killed about 44 persons and wounded 75 others at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State.
Justice Ademola had, in his judgment, held that he was satisfied that the Federal Government, successfully established the culpability of the convict beyond every reasonable doubt, noting that Umar had in two earlier separate confessional statements, admitted that he had prior knowledge of the attack.
The judge noted that Sokoto never showed any remorse for his actions throughout the trial, and described him (Sokoto) as “a pathological liar with no regards for the truth.”
Dissatisfied, Sokoto filed a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
In a fresh motion on notice filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja by his lawyer, Sheriff Okoh, Sokoto alleged the Comptroller of Prisons and his men have made it impossible to access his lawyer, to enable him perfect his appeal process.
The motion, which has The Comptroller General of Prisons (CGP) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as respondents, Sokoto, now being held at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos, wants an order compelling the respondents to allow him access to his lawyer.
He also seeks a declaration that the respondents’s alleged decision to deny him access to his lawyer was a violation of his right to fair hearing, right to counsel and access to justice.
In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Okoh, it was alleged that the several applications to the CGP by Sokoto’s lawyer for opportunity to see him had always been turned down.
“We have made several person contacts with the 1st defendant (CGP), his men: S. N. Nwanchukwu (PSO), E. O. Ogundele) DCG) among others, at the Nigeria Prisons headquarters, Abuja in a bid to persuade them to permit us to see the applicant, but they kept making us indulge in fruitless returns for approvals from the 2nd respondent (AGF) that has not come for over two years.
“Wherefore, we verily believe that their actions are aimed at ensuring that the applicant’s appeal of his conviction and sentence continues to be frustrated in perpetuity.
“The applicant’s appeal before the Court of Appeal is being delayed as a result of the conduct of the 1st respondent and men under his command and supervision,” Okoh said.
Thursday, when the case was called, the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba observed that there was no evidence in court’s file that the respondents were served with processes (court documents) in the case.
He directed the applicant’s lawyer to ensure service of the processes on the respondents and return on February 4 for the hearing of the motion.
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