Kabiru Sokoto Intends to Sue FG for N300m

The alleged mastermind of the
Christmas day bomb blast that killed about 44
persons and wounded 75 others at St.
Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger
State, in 2011, Kabiru Umar, a.k.a Kabiru
Sokoto, instituted a N300 million suit against
the Federal Government.
In an application dated October 7, 2013,
Monday, filed before Justice Adeniyi Ademola
of the Abuja Division of the Federal High
Court, Sokoto, who is answering to a two-
count terrorism charge, urged the court to
award the money to him as exemplary and
general damages against the Federal
Government over alleged torture and beatings
he suffered in the hands of operatives of the
Department of State Services, DSS.
He made the application shortly after his team
of lawyers, led by Mr. Sheriff Okoh, urged the
trial court to discharge and acquit the
accused person for want of incriminating
evidence linking him to the Boko Haram
Islamic sect.
It was the contention of the alleged Boko
Haram kingpin that the government failed to
establish a prima-facie terrorism charge
capable of warranting his conviction.
"We urge this court, based on facts, to
discharge and acquit the accused person for
want of evidence and inability of the
prosecution to establish a prima-facie
terrorism charge against him.
"The accused in count two is being accused of
having information about terrorism attack at
St Theresa Catholic church, contrary to section
7(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2001, an
allegation he has denied.
"For a person to be guilty under this
section, there must be a 'Mensrea' which
goes to knowledge and believe that the
offence will be committed or has been
committed.
"The only context in which the term knowing
can be construed under the terrorism
prevention Act is actual knowledge and the
constructive knowledge."