When the case was called before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday, the defendants said they do not understand or speak English language well, except Pidgin English.
Case was stood down for more than an hour to search for an Interpreter but to no avail, after which the court adjourned till Wednesday to enable the court provide an interpreter.
The Justice Tsoho said, “It is regretted that the court could not locate an interpreter to translate proceedings to pidgin English, therefore, the court adjourns to tomorrow to look for a competent and unbiased interpreter.”
Defendants, Bekewei Agbojule (a.k.a Asari), Egbasimokumo Ayeomi (a.k.a Effiong), Godspower Olopele, Toki Okuba and Super Allen Baye (a.k.a Yanga), were alleged to have been involved in the acts of hostage taking and receiving of ransom, acts of terrorism punishable by life imprisonment under the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013.
The five-count charge preferred against the defendants by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, the defendants were alleged to have conspired among themselves and with others at large and demanded the sun of N800 million as ransom after they seized and detained their victims.
They were said to have demanded N800 million as ransom, but later reduced it to N50 million, which was allegedly paid to them before releasing the victims.
Seven pupils and staff members of Nigeria/Tulip International College, Isheri, Ogun State, allegedly abducted by the defendants were Stephanie Nwosu, Zainab Olatubosun, Rebecca Agodi, Radiyan Aminu, Rashidat Ibrahim, Hanat Aderinto and Deriyo Yaziel.
Prosecution also alleged in counts four and five that the same set of defendants, along with others at large, on December 16, 2016, at Asolo Bridge, Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos, seized at gun point one Joshua Olayinka Audu, Rita Morah, Kendra Abiose and four others.
They were said to have, after seizing the six victims in Ikorodu, gone ahead to detain them at Ibafo Creek, Ogun State and allegedly demanded a ransom of N2 million from the family members of the victims and received the money before releasing the abductees.
The prosecution alleged that the offence of conspiracy to commit hostage taking was an act of terrorism contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, and punishable under the same Section of the Act.
It alleged that other offences of seizing, hostage taking and demanding of ransom were also acts of terrorism said to be contrary to Section 15 (1) of Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, and punishable under the same section of the Act.
Third count charge reads, “That you, Bekewei Agbojule, a.k.a Asari, of College Road Abapa/Arogbo, Ondo State; Egbasimokumo Ayeomi, a.k.a Effiong of Opuba village, Arogbo town, Ondo State; Godspower Olopele of Araromi Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos; Toki Okuba of Ijaw village behind Opic Estate, Isheri, Ogun State and Super Allen Baye a.k.a Yanga of Opuba village, Arogbo, Ondo State, on or about January 13, 2017, at Nigeria/Tulip International College, Isheri, Ogun State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to wit: hostage taking in that you detained some staff and students of Nigeria/Tulip International College, Isheri, Ogun State, namely, Nwosu Stephanie, Olatubosun Zainab, Agodi Rebecca, Radiyan Aminu, Rashidat Ibrahim, Aderinto Hanat and Deriyo Yaziel and demanded from their family members a monetary ransom of N800 million, which you later reduced to the N50 million and received by you before releasing them.”
