Barely one year after Kabir Umar, alias “Kabiru Sokoto’’ allegedly master-minded the explosion that rocked the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger, in which several people were killed, a Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced him to life in prison .
Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who gave the sentence on Friday, found Umar guilty on the two-count charge against him.
He said “the prosecution has proved their case beyond reasonable doubt in the two-count charge. Umar is guilty as charged.’’
The judge held that the convict belonged to an illegal organisation, Boko Haram, and facilitated terrorist acts intended to bomb the Police Headquarters in Sokoto State.
He also held that Umar had information about the planning and bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, on December 25, 2011 but failed to disclose such to security agencies.
The first charge is punishable with life imprisonment under Section 15(2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004, and the second charge attracted 10 years imprisonment under Section 7(1) under Terrorism Act, 2011.
The judge described the convict as a “pathological liar’’ who did not “show remorse’’ throughout the trial, saying “the convict has no respect for truth.’’
He commended the prosecution counsel for a job well done, as well as the Department of State Service (DSS) for the diligence in investigating the matter and bringing the trial to a conclusion.
The judge, however, noted that the police had not been able to investigate the circumstance that brought Umar to the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, where he was arrested on January 14, 2012.
He urged them to investigate the matter with a view to bringing to justice whoever was involved in helping Umar to hide in the lodge, no matter how highly placed.