The federal high court sitting in Abuja has convicted and sentenced one Ansaru leader, Mahmud Usman, to 15 years in prison.
Usman had pleaded guilty to charges of illegal mining of Californium stone without lawful authority, which proceeds were used for the purchase of arms and ammunition.
In view of the plea of guilty, the federal government had asked that the maximum sentence of life in prison be handed down on the convict and remanded in the custody of the Department of State Service in view of the other 31 pending charges against him.
However, counsel to Usman, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as the convict is a first-time offender.
Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Usman to 15 years in prison and ordered that he be remanded in the custody of the DSS.
The remand order is in line with section 438 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
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Justice Nwite adjourned the court sitting till 21st October for trial in the rest of the case against him.
TVC previously reported that the suspects are Mahmud Usman from Okene local government area of Kogi State and Abubakar Abba from Daura local government area of Kastina State.
They are facing a 32 count charge of alleged kidnapping for ransom, commissioning acts of terrorism, illegal Mining, fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IED) and Terrorsim financing.
Arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite the federal high court Abuja, they are accused of attacking Wawa cantonment of the Nigerian army in Kainji, New Bussa , Borgue local government Area in 2022, which resulted in mass casualties.
https://www.tvcnews.tv/dss-arraigns-alleged-ansaru-leaders-on-charges-of-terrorism/
