Nigerian govt re-arraigns Tukur Mamu on amended terrorism charge

The Federal Government on Monday re-arraigned Tukur Mamu, the alleged terrorists’ negotiator during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack hostage crisis in 2022, on an amended 17-count terrorism charge.

Mamu, who was re-arraigned before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, pleaded not guilty.

Mamu, who was arrested on September 7, 2022, by Egyptian security officials at the Cairo International Airport, was earlier arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing.

However, the prosecution amended the counts by bringing in more offences, including unlawful possession of firearms without a valid licence and money laundering charges.

When the case was called on Monday, David Kaswe, an Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, informed the court that an amended charge had been filed and served on the defence counsel.

He said the charge was dated and filed on May 26.

Kaswe, who said the prosecution had incorporated more counts in line with the evidence already placed before the court, prayed the court for the defendant to take his plea on the amended charge.

Mamu’s lawyer, Johnson Usman, SAN, did not oppose the application, and Justice Umar directed that the amended charge be read to the defendant.

Mamu, however, pleaded not guilty to the 17 counts after they were read to him, and the prosecution commenced its cross-examination of the accused, who had earlier opened his defence and testified as the sole defence witness.

Mamu opened his defence on April 23 after the Federal Government closed its case by calling seven witnesses in the ongoing trial.

In count one of the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/96/2023, the defendant was alleged to have, sometime around March 28, 2022, in Kaduna, given support to the Boko Haram terrorist group.

He was alleged to have instigated the terrorist group to boycott the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Committee set up by the Federal Government to negotiate the release of the hostages (victims) of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, to enhance his role as the negotiator for the payment, receipt and delivery of ransom from the families of the hostages.

In count two, he was alleged to have undermined and obstructed the CDS Committee set up to negotiate the release of the hostages of the attack.

Count three accused him of receiving ransom payments in the sum of $120,000 on behalf of the terrorist group from families of victims of the attack, contrary to Section 21(3)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

He was also alleged to have committed an offence preparatory to, or in furtherance of, an act of terrorism when he exchanged voice-note communications relating to acts of terrorism with Baba Adamu, the Boko Haram spokesperson.

Mamu was accused of dealing in terrorist funds in the sums of $269,200 and N25,690,500 in counts six and seven, which were allegedly found in his possession.

He was said to have committed an offence of dealing in terrorist property contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

The defendant was equally alleged to have been dealing in terrorist funds in the form of 1,840 Indian rupees, 1,700 Egyptian pounds and 115 UAE dirhams in counts 11, 12 and 13, which were found in his possession.

Counts 14 and 15 accused Mamu of money laundering offences involving N25,690,500 and $269,200 allegedly found in his possession.

In count 16, the Federal Government accused him of unlawful possession of a firearm when he allegedly had a Delta Magnum pump-action firearm in his possession without a valid licence.

Mamu was also accused of unlawful possession of firearms when he allegedly had about 47 cartridges (ammunition) in his possession without a valid licence sometime around March 28, 2022.

The offences are contrary to Section 3 of the Firearms Act, Cap F.28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, and punishable under Section 28 of the same Act.

Shortly after the counts were read to him, the prosecution lawyer began cross-examination, and the judge subsequently adjourned the matter until June 8 for continuation of the cross-examination, NAN reports.