- A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years in prison for unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to support terrorism
- Justice Hauwa Yilwa delivered the ruling after Umar pleaded guilty to two counts brought against her by the Department of State Services
- The case, which involves 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition, has been adjourned until July 9 for trial on the remaining charges
Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years in prison after she was convicted of unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and attempting to support acts of terrorism.
The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Umar in Plateau State and charged her with four counts. On March 11, she pleaded guilty to counts three and four, which related to unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to render support for terrorism.
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Justice Yilwa noted that by pleading guilty, Umar admitted the facts presented by the prosecution without offering any defence. The court then adjourned for judgment on those counts.
Defence plea for leniency
During sentencing, Umar’s lawyer, Hamza Dantani, asked the court to show mercy. He explained that Umar is a first-time offender, remorseful, and did not waste the court’s time. He also highlighted that she is a nursing mother of a one-year-old child who was arrested alongside her.
“The convict is a first-time offender who is remorseful,” Dantani said, urging the court to temper justice with mercy.
Prosecution’s position
Counsel for the prosecution, Caliistus Eze, confirmed that there was no record of any previous conviction against Umar.
Justice Yilwa briefly suspended proceedings before returning to deliver her judgment. She sentenced Umar to 20 years’ imprisonment on count three and one year on count four.
Trial on remaining charges adjourned
The judge adjourned the case until July 9 for the prosecution to begin trial on counts one and two, to which Umar pleaded not guilty.
This ruling shows the seriousness with which Nigerian courts treat offences involving terrorism and unlawful possession of arms.
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Woman arrested for distributing fake currency
Legit.ng earlier reported that a 46-year-old woman, Oluwayemisi Oludare has been arrested for allegedly distributing counterfeit currencies, through a Point of Sale (POS) business in Lagos state. As reported by The Nation, Oluwayemisi disclosed that she got the fake currencies from her husband, Olamilekan to distribute inside the Oluwole market in Lagos.
The couple alongside retired Colonel, Ilelabayo Johnson, and a 35-year-old Adeniyi Quadri were arrested by the Zone 2 Command in Onikan, Lagos. The suspects were said to have been distributing the fake currencies to Bureau De Change operators both in Nigeria and Cameroun and through POS services in Nigeria.
According to Vanguard, Olamilekan confessed that he was the owner of the fake N9 million that was found on them by the police. Assistant inspector-general of Police, AIG Olatoye Durosinmi, told newsmen that the Zonal Monitoring Unit invaded the hideout of Quadri where three hundred million CFA and nine million Naira, all suspected to be counterfeit, were recovered in his possession.
Source: Legit.ng