Appeal Court affirms 25 years jail for Boko Haram convicts

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has affirmed the September 30, 2015, judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos which convicted three men of participating in terrorism and belonging to the Boko Haram sect.

In a judgment by Justice Y.B. Nimpar, the appellate court upheld the decision of the lower court, which sentenced Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman, to 25 years’ imprisonment each.

They were arraigned in November 2013 with 14 others before Justice Ibrahim Buba, who found them guilty in September 2014.

Displeased with their conviction and imprisonment, the convicts approached the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn the judgment.

But the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, which charged them to court and secured their convictions, said in a statement yesterday by its Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Bola Akingbade, that the appeal was dismissed for lacking in merit.

According to the ministry, the convicts had contended that they were charged and convicted under an inapplicable law.

They had also contended that the 25 years’ imprisonment imposed on them was excessive and urged the appeal court to reverse their conviction.

But the appellate court refused their prayers.

Mohammed, Karumi and Usman were arraigned on eight counts in November 2013 before Justice Buba along with 14 other suspected Boko Haram members.

Those charged with them were Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed and Mustapha Daura.

Others were Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya and Musa Audu and Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.

But the then Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, entered a nolle prosequi, discontinuing criminal charges against 13 of the suspects, leaving only  Mohammed,  Karumi,  Usman and Haruna.