Kabiru Umar, popularly known as Kabiru Sokoto, has appealed against the judgment that convicted him of terrorism-related offences connected to the 2011 bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla.
His lawyer, Don Akaegbu, confirmed the development in a statement, saying the appeal followed a review of the court proceedings and the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 20, 2013.
According to the legal team, an application for extension of time was also filed due to delays in initiating the appeal process.
The lawyers stressed that the charges against their client did not allege that he carried out or planned the church bombing.
“It is important, in the interest of accuracy and fairness, to clarify that: The charges upon which our client was tried and convicted did not allege that he carried out or masterminded the bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla. Rather, the relevant count alleged that he had information about the incident and failed to disclose the same to law enforcement authorities.
“The distinction between direct participation and alleged prior knowledge is significant in law and forms a central issue in the pending appeal.”
The statement added that the appeal raises questions about the evidence used in securing the conviction and how the trial court handled the defence presented by Umar.
The legal team further said the appeal would examine “whether the conviction was supported by admissible and credible evidence and whether the evaluation of the defence by the trial court was consistent with established legal principles.”
The lawyers also argued that criminal responsibility should only be determined through charges and evidence presented before the court.
The statement also revealed that while in custody, Umar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the National Open University of Nigeria.
“This reflects a continued effort toward self-improvement despite the circumstances. The purport of the appeal is to enable our client establish and prove his innocence in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement added.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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