Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State High Court presided by Justice Adebayo Yusuf yesterday closed the case on trial-within-trial in the suit involving eight suspects, who allegedly raped and murdered a 300 level student of the University of Ilorin, Olajide Omowumi Blessing.
The Judge adjourned the trial to October 5 and 6 for counsel representing the defendants to prepare their defence.
The defence counsel at the last sitting accused the Department of Security Service (DSS) of torturing their clients during their interview sessions.
In their respective submissions, they alleged that their clients were coerced, beaten and tortured to give confessional statement.
The counsel maintained that such statements should not be admitted in evidence by the court.
Mr. Shina Ibiyemi, counsel to the first defendant, AbdulAzeez Ismail, informed the court that the DSS operatives used Tasers, an electrocuting device, and horsewhip on his client.
He added that the information obtained from the defendant (Ismail) is not voluntarily given, and it shouldn’t be admitted by the court.
But a staff of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Kwara State, disagreed with the defence counsel.
The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria official, A. A Jimoh, while testifying in court last week, maintained that the confessional statements were not obtained through duress.
He said: “I interviewed the defendants in order to ascertain that they made their confession without intimidation from DSS operatives of which they affirmed.”
