A 2015 senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment by the Abuja Federal High Court for selling petrol to Boko Haram terrorists.
The politician was convicted on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu
on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism in the country brought
against him by the Federal Government.
Habeeb, a fuel dealer in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State,
had, upon his arraignment on the one-count charge, admitted guilt of selling fuel
to the terrorists.
He, however, claimed that his fuel station attendants may have
been responsible for the sales.
The politician, while kneeling down in the dock for almost
one hour his trial lasted, pleaded passionately with Justice Peter Lifu to be
lenient with him.
He claimed to have two wives and six children, and that he
had not been allowed to see or communicate with any member of his family for
more than 10 years he had been in detention.
The Federal Government lawyer, Mr David Kaswe, vehemently
opposed the plea of the convict for leniency, adding that the logistics support
accorded to the terrorists had led to the deaths of several people and rendered others
homeless.
Kaswe admitted that the convict had spent more than 10 years
in detention and insisted that he should be given 20 years' imprisonment.
The lawyer maintained that Boko Haram would not have been
able to use their motorcycles to launch attacks on innocent people and escape
into the bush if no one had sold fuel to them
In his judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that there was no
evidence that the convict was a member of Boko Haram or trained on weapon
handling, adding that the sole accusation against him was the sale of fuel to
the terrorists.
The judge also held that the claim of spending more than 10
years in custody by the convict was not debunked by the prosecution.
Justice Peter Lifu subsequently sentenced the defendant to
10 years' imprisonment.
He, however, ordered that the jail term should start from the
date of the arrest and detention of the convict.
The judge ordered that the convict be immediately released
upon signing of his release warrant to enable him to go for extensive
rehabilitation.
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