Fagbemi Leads Prosecution As Court Sentences Four Boko Haram Financiers

A Federal High Court sitting in Dawaki, Abuja, has convicted four Boko Haram financiers.

They are Modu Aisami, Zana Zarama, Umar Mohammed and Bunu Kame.

The prosecution led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, secured their convictions after their separate arraignments before Justice Binta Nyako and Justice Emeka Nwite.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and begged the court for leniency.

The defence counsel was led by Director, Criminal Justice in Legal Aid Council (LAC), F A Bakre.

According to the charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M. B. Abubakar, Aisami provided funds for the terrorist group by buying food products from the group, having reasonable grounds to believe that the proceed will be used to commit a terrorist act therefore committed an offence contrary to Section 13(1)(a)(ii) of the Terrorism Provision Amendment Act, 2013.

In a ruling on Sunday, Justice Binta Nyako convicted the defendant having pleaded guilty to count 2 and 3 of the charges.

She sentenced  the convict to 20 years imprisonment for each of the offence which would run concurrently.

The judge also convicted Zarama and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment for concealing the identity of a Boko Haram member, Modu Sulum.

Justice Nyako added that the jail terms should run from the day the convicts had been in custody.

In another trial, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted the duo of Umar Mohammed and Bunu Kame. Mohammed was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.