Alleged Coup Plot: FG Seeks Admission of Defendants’ Statements, Court Orders DSS Probe Over Evidence Leak

Alleged Coup Plot: FG Seeks Admission of Defendants’ Statements, Court Orders DSS Probe Over Evidence Leak

The Federal Government has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to admit into evidence statements allegedly made by six men standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The request was made on Tuesday by the prosecution during a trial-within-trial convened to determine whether the defendants' statements were obtained voluntarily.

The prosecution's fourth witness, identified only as "DDD", told the court that the defendants made their statements willingly and were neither tortured nor subjected to intimidation or harassment during interrogation.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness dismissed allegations by the defendants that they were coerced into making confessional statements, insisting that five of the six accused persons admitted knowledge of the alleged coup plot, while only the first defendant denied any involvement.

Reacting to claims that the defendants' legs were chained during questioning, the witness said the allegation was false.

"The feet of the defendants were not chained. They walked into the interview room by themselves," he told the court, adding that the sound of chains would have been audible in the video recordings already played in open court if the claim were true.

The witness also testified that none of the defendants requested the presence of legal counsel, family members, officials of the Legal Aid Council or a Justice of the Peace before making their statements.

He urged the court to admit both the written statements and audiovisual recordings of the interrogation sessions as evidence in the substantive trial.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyers, the witness acknowledged that the defendants were interviewed without their lawyers or other independent witnesses present but maintained that the statements were given voluntarily and without coercion.

Following the conclusion of the witness's testimony, the prosecution closed its case in the trial-within-trial after calling four witnesses.

Meanwhile, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate allegations that some prosecution exhibits tendered in court had been circulated on social media in violation of the court's witness protection order.

The directive followed complaints by Oyedepo that video evidence admitted during proceedings had appeared on social media through a personality known as VeryDarkMan, who was reportedly present in court.

The prosecution urged the court to determine how the materials found their way into the public domain.

Counsel to all six defendants denied any involvement in the alleged leak, with some asking the prosecution to file a formal application supported by an affidavit to enable them respond appropriately.

Justice Abdulmalik ordered the DSS to investigate the source of the leak and identify anyone responsible for breaching the court's witness protection directive.

The court also heard separate bail applications filed by the defendants. While defence counsel urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, the prosecution opposed the applications and asked that they be dismissed.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned proceedings to June 25 and 30 for the first, second and third defendants to open their defence in the trial-within-trial. The remaining three defendants are scheduled to present their defence on July 1 and 2.

The court fixed July 20 for its ruling on the bail applications.