Absence Of Interpreter Stalls Nyanya Bombing Suspects’ Trial

 

The trial of the suspected mastermind of the Nyanya bombing of April last year, Aminu Ogwuche and six others has been stalled following the absence of a court interpreter.

Trial Judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, told the court that the interpreter was on a compassionate leave and given that some of the accused persons do not speak English, it would be a breach of the law and their fundamental human rights to go on with the case, without the interpreter.
All the lawyers in the case agreed with the trial judge who subsequently adjourned the case to March 6 for arraignment and commencement of trial.
He also made an order for accelerated hearing in the case.
The case was rescheduled for February 20 after the the absence of some counsels representing some of the accused stalled the case on February 6.
The seven accused persons, who are to be arraigned before Justice Mohammed on a seven count charge of terrorism are Aminu Ogwuche, Ahmad Abubakar, Mohammed Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu, Anas Isah, Adamu Yusuf and Nasiru Abubakar.
Counsels for five out of the seven accused persons were absent on the February 6 trial day, forcing Justice Mohammed to reschedule the trial for February 20.
They are accused of masterminding the twin bombing in Nyanya in the outskirts of Abuja which claimed 75 lives on April 14, 2014.
Ogwuche was extradited from Sudan with the help of Interpol on July 15, 2014 to answer charges of terrorism leveled against him.