One of the suspects being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS), along with Mohammed Usman (Khalid Al-Barnawi) and three others for being behind the August 26, 2011, bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja how he joined the terror group called Ansaru.

Al-Barnawi is, in court documents, alleged to be the leader of the Boko Haram dissident splinter group, Ansaru.

At the resumption of proceedings trial on Wednesday, the second defendant, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, in a video recording played in open court, said he joined Ansaru, led by Al- Barnawi in Bauchi shortly before the attack on the UN building, and that from that moment, their relationship blossomed.

Al- Barnawi was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in April 2016 in Lokoja, Kogi State, five years after the attack on the Abuja UN building, the first of such attacks on an international agency’s property in the country, which left over 20 individuals dead and over 70 others injured.

Al- Barnawi, also known variously as Kafuri/ Naziru/Alhaji Yahaya/Mallam Dauda/Alhaji Tanimu, is being prosecuted by the DSS along with Mohammed Bashir Saleh; Umar Mohammed Bello (aka Datti; Mohammed Salisu) and Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi).

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the court saw another video recording of the interview session involving Saleh and subsequently commenced the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness in the ongoing trial-within-trial being conducted to ascertain the voluntariness or otherwise of the confessional statements made by the defendants.

Under cross-examination by the lawyer to the first defendant (Al-Barnawi), F. K. Kaigama, the witness, identified as “TSR3,” said he works in the Technical Department of the DSS, and that part of his functions includes setting up an audio/video recording machine in the interview room.

The witness said he also engages in audio/video recording of suspects during interview sessions.

On what are his other functions, the witness said, “In addition to the stated functions, I also undertake computer forensic examinations, mobile phone forensic examinations, crime scene investigation, like fingerprint collection from the crime scene and analysis at the laboratory.

The witness said he did more than set up the forensic audio/video recording machine in relation to the first defendant. He added that he did the audio-video recording of the interview session of the first defendant in real time (that is, as it was happening).

He said the third thing he did in relation to the first defendant was the audio/visual recording of the statement-taking session and the audio/visual recording of the translation of the statement of the first defendant.

On whether there is a person known as James in the Technical Department where he works, the witness said there are several Jameses in the Technical Department of the DSS.

At that point, Justice Emeka Nwite directed the postponement of further proceedings because he had other engagements.

With the agreement of lawyers to parties in the case, Justice Nwite adjourned till March 2 for the continuation of the cross-examination of PW3 in the trial-within-trial. (The Nation)

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