The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application by the Department of State Services (DSS) to expedite the trial of Khalid Al-Barnawi and four others, suspected masterminds of the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja.
The bombing, the first of its kind targeting an international organization in Nigeria, left over 20 people dead and injured more than 70 others. Al-Barnawi was arrested in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State, five years after the attack.
On Friday, DSS counsel Alex Iziyon SAN moved for an accelerated hearing, noting that the Service is prepared to ensure the case is determined in a timely manner. The court approved the unopposed application, allowing parties to view video recordings submitted by DSS to demonstrate that the extrajudicial statements given by the defendants were made voluntarily.
The video clips will be played in the presence of the court registrar, after which parties will take notes and return to court on October 23 and 24 for the continuation of the trial within trial.
Al-Barnawi’s trial began shortly after his arrest in 2016, but multiple legal and administrative challenges stalled proceedings over the years. The accelerated trial is aimed at concluding the case without further delays.
Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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