SSS vs Boko Haram Senator Latest: Senator Ali Ndume Pleads Not Guilty to Terrorism Charge

Senator Mohammed Ndume Monday pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge bordering on terrorism levelled againt him by the Federal Government.

He was accused before a Federal High Court Abuja of failing to  disclose  security information to the appropriate authorities.

The re-arraignment of Ndume by the Federal Government was coming after the State Security Service (SSS) withdrew the charge filed against him before an Abuja Magistrate Court. When the matter came up yesterday, the four count charge was read to Ndume and he pleaded not guilty to all.

Director of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice, O.O Fatunde, who is the prosecuting counsel, prayed the court to fix a hearing date when she would bring her witnesses.

However, Counsel to Ndume, Ricky Tarfa SAN, brought an application praying the court to admit the accused to bail but the court could not hear the application owing to the fact that the prosecution was yet to file its written address in support of its counter affidavit.

However, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned the matter till December 16 for hearing of the bail application.

The court had earlier given the Prosecution 72 hours to file and serve its written address and also gave the Defense 24 hours to reply on points of law. The prosecution had prayed the court to order that the accused to still be remanded at the SSS custody pending the next adjourned date while the defense prayed it to order the SSS grant him and the accused immediate family an unfettered access.

Giving a short ruling, Justice Kolawole held that the accused should at the interim be remanded at the SSS custody till the next adjourned date adding that the Prosecutor should begin to make arrangement to move the accused to Kuje Prison should the court could not conclude hearing on the bail application on the next adjourned date.

He, therefore, adjourned the hearing in the motion on notice and the bail application to 10a.m. on December 16.

It would be recalled Ndume alongside the  former spokes person of Boko Haram,  Ali Kodunga,  had earlier been arrai-gned before an Abuja Magistrate Court on a one-count charge of criminal intimidation by anonymous communication. The court had sentenced Kodunga to three years imprisonment after pleading guilty to the one count charge slammed on him.

The court in turn struck out the charge against Ndume following the application brought by the SSS on ground that the Federal Government has filed a fresh charge against him at the Federal High Court.

Part of the four count charge slammed on Ndume reads:

* That you, Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja being in possession of the mobile phone number of Ali Sanda Umar Kodunga (alia Usma Al-Zawahiri) a terrorist Spokesman of the Boko Haram Sect which you know to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of the said Ali Umar Kodunga did fail to disclose same information to a law officer as soon as reasonably practicable and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 7(1) of the same Act.

* That you, Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011 somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja having received information from Ali Sanda Umar Kodunga a terrorist Spokesman of the Boko Haram Sect regarding planned attacks on judges of the Borno State Election Tribunal and the National Assembly, which you know to be of material assistance in securing the prosecution of members of the said Boko Haram Sect for an offence under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 did fail to disclose same information to a law enforcement officer as soon as reasonably practicable and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 7(1) of the same Act.