DSS

Author: Gist Correspondent

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate allegations that evidence presented in the ongoing trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow the government was circulated on social media.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order on Tuesday after the prosecution claimed that video exhibits tendered before the court had surfaced online, allegedly through a social media personality known as VeryDarkMan.

The judge further instructed the DSS to determine whether the publication of any court materials violated an earlier order aimed at protecting witnesses in the case. She said any individual found responsible should be identified and prosecuted.

The directive followed concerns raised by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who informed the court that videos admitted as evidence had reportedly been shared on social media. He also told the court that the individual alleged to have posted the materials was present in the courtroom gallery.

Oyedepo urged the court to order an investigation into how the sensitive materials became publicly accessible. However, lawyers representing the six defendants denied any involvement in the alleged leak and challenged the prosecution to file a formal application supported by an affidavit.

Following the development, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that investigations should proceed alongside the ongoing trial, noting that all defence counsel had denied responsibility for the circulation of the exhibits.

The court subsequently heard arguments on bail applications filed by the defendants. Defence lawyers appealed for their clients to be released on liberal terms, while the prosecution opposed the requests and urged the court to reject them.

The judge adjourned proceedings to June 25 and June 30 for the first three defendants to open their defence in the trial-within-trial. The remaining defendants are expected to present theirs on July 1 and July 2.

She also fixed July 20 for ruling on the bail applications.

Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution sought the admission of statements made by the defendants during DSS investigations. The request was made through the fourth prosecution witness, identified only as “DDD.”

Testifying before the court, the witness maintained that the statements were obtained voluntarily and denied allegations that the defendants were subjected to torture, intimidation or harassment during interrogation.

According to him, claims that the suspects’ feet were chained while making their statements were false. He argued that if such restraints had been used, the sound of chains would have been evident in the video recordings already played in court.

The witness also told the court that none of the defendants requested the presence of lawyers, family members, Legal Aid Council officials or a Justice of the Peace during the interview sessions.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, he acknowledged that none of those individuals were present when the statements were taken but insisted that the defendants were not coerced into making them.

At the end of his testimony, Oyedepo announced the closure of the prosecution’s case in the trial-within-trial after calling four witnesses.

The six defendants are standing trial over allegations of involvement in a plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The court is currently determining whether the statements obtained from them were made voluntarily and can be admitted as evidence in the substantive trial.