Kidnap kingpin Wadume’s trial continues October 13

The trial of the Taraba State suspected kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, otherwise known as Wadume, will resume at the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 13, TopNaija reports.

The court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako had fixed July 15, 2020 for continuation of trial at the end of the proceedings in the case.

Wadume and six others are being prosecuted on 13 counts of kidnapping, escape from custody, gunrunning, detention of kidnap victim, Usman Garba, and collection of ransom of N106m from the victim before releasing him.

He was first arrested in Ibi, Taraba State, by members of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police on August 6, 2019 before soldiers led by Captain Tijjani Balarabe aided his escape from the custody of the policemen conveying him to Abuja.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), removed the names of the soldiers as defendants from the case within days of taking over the case from the police in July 2020.

Earlier testifying as the fourth prosecution witness in the case, a member of the IRT of the IGP office, Inspector Samuel Habila, said Wadume escaped with gunshot wounds to Kano after soldiers aided his escape from the police on August 6, 2019.

At the last proceedings on July 15, 2020, the fifth prosecution witness, Bala James, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, who headed the investigative team, also testified on the roles played by each of the seven defendants in the case.

Justice Nyako adjourned till October 13 for cross-examination of the witness.