A 22-year-old man, Aliyu Muhamadu, accused of participating in hostage taking on Tuesday, denied ever confessing to being a kidnapper in a Federal High Court in Ibadan.
Mr Muhamadu was testifying before Justice Ekerete Akpan at the resumed trial in a case of alleged hostage taking and highway robbery instituted against him and Umar Idris, the second defendant.
The defendant, who spoke in Hausa through an interpreter, said that he did not write any confessional statements because he does not know how to write anything.
“When the operatives of the State Security Services asked me, I told them that I knew nothing about kidnapping and I stood by what I told them. I don’t know how they got a supposed confessional statement. They lied and said that I wrote it because I cannot write in Hausa or any other language.
“I don’t know whether my signature is on the same confessional statement or not because I was unconscious as a result of the brutal torture the SSS operatives subjected me to. In fact, I never knew that I would still be alive till date; I was so weak and could not recognise anything after beating me,” Mr Muhamadu stated.
Furthermore, one of Mr Muhamadu’s relatives, Ms Ayishat, while giving her testimony, said that the SSS refused to allow her access to her nephew because they told her that there was nobody who could interpret to him in Hausa.
“Even when I took a lawyer there, they did not allow both of us to see him. When I eventually saw him, he was looking so weak and could not speak; I never knew he could still be alive,” Mr Muhamadu’s aunt testified.
The defence counsel, Femi Oyinloye, consequently tendered an application, praying the court to reject the confessional statement that had been earlier admitted as an exhibit against the defendant.
“My lord, it would amount to a miscarriage of justice if the confessional statement is admitted against my client.
“Muhamadu said that he was unconscious and did not write any confessional statement due to his torture by the SSS operatives. Moreover, none of his relatives or lawyers was present when the said confessional statement was written. My lord, the punishment attached to this matter is capital in nature and we cannot joke with it. I have noticed many contradictions in the confessional statement and my client’s testimonies,” Mr Oyinloye said.
In a counterargument, the prosecution, led by Aderonke Imama, asked the court not to grant Mr Oyinloye’s prayer.
Ms Imama cited a number of constitutional provisions to support her prayer.
Mr Akpan subsequently adjourned the case until April 25 for a ruling in the application and continuation of the trial.
(NAN)