From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), yesterday, secured the conviction of four Boko Haram financiers who were sentenced to 40 years imprisonment by the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
The court found the defendants- Modu Aisami, Zana Zarama, Umar Mohammed and Bunu Kame, guilty after they all pleaded guilty to the charges against them. The prosecution led by the AGF secured their convictions after their separate arraignments before Justice Binta Nyako and Justice Emeka Nwite.
The defendants, who were represented by the Director, Criminal Justice in the Legal Aid Council (LAC), F. A. Bakre, begged the court for leniency after pleading guilty to the charges.
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, thereby, committing an offence contrary to Section 13(1)(a)(ii) of the Terrorism Provision Amendment Act, 2013.
Ruling, Justice Nyako convicted the defendant having pleaded guilty to counts two and three of the charges.
“I find him guilty as charged and he is convicted accordingly., I hereby, sentence the convict to 20 years imprisonment for each of the offences. They are to run concurrently,” she held.
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.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in another trial, convicted the duo of Umar Mohammed and Bunu Kame. Mohammed was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.