ThisDay office bombing: Suspect appears in court, demands public trial

Suspected bomber of ThisDay Office in Kaduna, Mr. Mustapha Umar, yesterday asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to reject the request by the Federal Government to exclude members of the public from witnessing his trial. Umar said trying him in camera was not only unconstitutional but also unfair and unacceptable to him.

Although the Federal Government explained yesterday, in an application, that media representatives would be allowed to cover the proceedings, the suspect, however, told the court that he would not concede to the application even as he hired a new counsel, Mr. Nureni Sulaimon, to defend him.

The presiding judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, who could not proceed with the trial, adjourned till April 29, to enable the counsel to the opposing parties address him on the application to exclude the public from witnessing the proceedings and to enable Umar's counsel to familiarise himself with the case file and lodge his defence to the charges.

Umar was accused of bombing SOJ Plaza in Kaduna State occupied by This- Day, The Moment and The Sun newspapers.

Over 10 persons were reportedly killed in the attack. At the last hearing, the suspect was represented by Mr. Felix Umai and Mohammed Umar, both of Manga Chambers in Abuja. He, however, changed counsel who told the court that he was just briefed on Monday.

But before the adjournment, the prosecutor, Simon Labaran, asked the court to hear his application to exclude the public except the press and the parties to the case, from hearing the proceedings. The defence counsel, however, objected, saying the constitution mandated the trial to be in the open.

The judge therefore directed the defence counsel to file his response to the application.

He also directed him to file the defence of his client to the charges and front load it to enable the court handle the case with dispatch. Adeniyi also ordered the suspect to be remanded in Kuje Prison even as he directed the prison officials to allow the suspect access to his lawyer and family to enable him prepare his defence adequately.

The judge also directed the prison officials to make sure that the accused was brought to court at 9am. The suspect was brought to court at 9:58am yesterday.

The case was initially stood down because the accused was not brought early. At the last hearing, the prosecutor had applied that Umar's trial he held in private. Taking the hint from the judge, Labaran had amended his application to allow the press to cover the trial.