The absence of the counsel to the Department of State Service (DSS), Mohammed Abubakar, Tuesday, stalled the trial of Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba on terrorism charges.
Consequently, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja, adjourned the matter to November 19.
When the case was called, Abubakar, had in a letter to the Registrar of the court apologized for his inability to be in court and sought an adjournment to enable him be present to conduct the trial.
The Court had at the last adjourned date, sentenced one of the two defendants, Mahmud Muhammed Usman aka Abu Bara’a, to 15 years each for illegal mining.
Usman who hails from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State and Abubakar Abba aka Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, who hail from Daura, Katsina State, were arraigned by the DSS on 32 counts of terrorism and related offences.
Of the 32 counts, Usman who is the first defendant, had pleaded guilty to Count 10, which was on illegal mining.
The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite had consequently convicted him of the crime and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
The second alleged Ansaru Commander, Abubakar Abba who was arraigned alongside the convict however, denied the economic sabotage offence.
Usman and Abubakar Abba were put on trial on terrorism charges by the Department of the State Service DSS but Usman pleaded guilty to count 10 in the 32 count charges which bothered on economic crime.
