Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is expected to present it’s sixth witness in the trial of the alleged Taraba State kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, (commonly called Wadume) before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 22.
The date was fixed at the instance of the prosecution counsel, Mr. Labaran Magaji, after Tuesday’s proceedings, where the fifth prosecution witness (PW5), Bala James, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) concluded his testimony in the case. James Bala who earlier testified on July 15, 2020, was cross-examined by some of the defence lawyers at Tuesday’s proceedings. Magaji told the court that he needed a short adjournment to enable him produce his next witness.
Justice Binta Nyako, thereafter ,adjourned the case till October 22 for the prosecution to present its sixth witness.
Wadume and six others are being prosecuted on 13 counts of kidnapping, escape from custody, gunrunning, detention of kidnap victim Usman Garba, and collection of ransom of N106m from the victim before releasing him. Apart from Wadume, the rest of the defendants are, Inspector Aliyu Dadje, who was a station officer at police headquarters in Ibi, Auwalu Bala, aka Omo Razor, Uba Bala (aka Uba Belu); Bashir Waziri, (aka Baba Runs); Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho); and Rayyanu Abdul.