COURT SENTENCES ISWAP LEADER TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER GUILTY PLEA
Read Time:1 Minute, 28 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced a leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Hussaini Ismail, to 20 years’ imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.
Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the judgment on Tuesday after Ismaila also known as Mai Tangaran changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all four counts filed under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
According to the Department of State Services (DSS), Ismaila coordinated multiple attacks on police facilities in Kano State in 2012, including:
The Police Headquarters in Bompai
The Mobile Police Base on Kabuga Road
Pharm Centre Police Station
Angwa Uku Police Station
Several people were injured during the attacks.
He was arrested on August 31, 2017, at Tsamiyya Babba Village in Gezewa Local Government Area of Kano State. The trial, however, was delayed due to interlocutory appeals and a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of his statements.
The prosecution called five witnesses, including two DSS operatives and two eyewitnesses. After the fifth witness testified, Ismaila opted to change his plea.
His counsel, P. B. Onijah of the Legal Aid Council, pleaded with the court to show leniency, stating that the defendant was remorseful and wished to avoid prolonging the matter.
Justice Nwite sentenced him to: 15 years’ imprisonment on count one
20 years each on counts two, three, and four
The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Ismaila will serve a maximum of 20 years, effective from the date of his arrest August 31, 2017.
The judge ordered the Controller-General of the Correctional Service to detain him in any suitable facility and further directed that upon completion of his prison term, he must undergo rehabilitation and deradicalisation before being reintegrated into society.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0