Alleged ThisDay Bomber Pleads Not Guilty

A suspect arrested for planning to bomb ThisDay office in Kaduna, Mustapher Mohammed, on Monday, pleaded not guilty to one count charge of terrorism at an Abuja High Court.
Mustapher Umar was arrested on 26th April 2012 in a white Honda marked Al 306 MKA allegedly laden with improvised explosive devices.
He was found at  Sog Complex, housing  ThisDay Newspaper, The Moment and The Sun in Kaduna.
On the the same day, the ThisDay office complex was bombed in Jabi Area of Abuja.
When the charge was read to him, Umar pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor, Simeon Labaran urged the court to set a date for the commencement of trial but Justice Adeniyi Ademola ordered for a house cleaning job on the part of the prosecution.
The court also directed the prosecutor to file Proof of Evidence, summary of its case, list of witnesses and other relevant documents within the next two weeks. The defense lawyer is to respond to the charges against his client, within two weeks.
Before the court adjourned to 12th of March for trial, the Defence lawyer, Mr. Felix Umahi sought an order of the court to allow him and a member of the accused person’s family access to his client.
Justice Ademola who agreed with the defense counsel, however made an order for access to be granted to only the legal team of the accused person.
He also set the 18th through to the 22nd of March for the defense counsel to make its case.