A High Court of Imo State has fixed December 16 to deliver judgment in the kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms and hostage-taking charges brought against three men by the Department of State Services, DSS, over the alleged abduction of 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in the state on Independence Day.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Orafu, announced the judgment date on Friday after the defence closed its case with the testimony of the third defence witness, Mohammed Ali.
Ali, the third defendant, told the court that the confessional statement he made to the DSS on his alleged involvement in the case was correct — making him the third accused person to admit his statement to the service, after his co-defendants, Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu, did so on Thursday.
Under cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Martins Udolwu, Ali admitted knowing one Adamu Aliyu as an acquaintance whom he occasionally met in mosques. He also admitted that he is a cattle herder who has lived in Aba, Abia State, for about two years.
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Like the Aliyus on Thursday, Ali conceded that the audio-visual recording of him by the DSS, as well as his written statements, were made voluntarily and in the presence of his counsel.
The Aliyus, who ended their defence on Thursday, had admitted before the court that the confessional statements presented by the DSS were made voluntarily — even as they begged the court for forgiveness.
Thereafter, Justice Orafu gave the defence seven days, effective Saturday, November 7, 2026, to file its final brief, and the prosecution five days, effective Saturday, November 14, 2026, to file its response. He adjourned the matter to November 24, 2026, for the adoption of written addresses, and fixed December 16, 2026, for judgment.
Crediblenewsng.com
