A defence witness in the ongoing trial over the Owo church attack, Abdulhaleem Idris, has challenged the validity of the statements held against him in the court of law.
He told the Federal High Court in Abuja that what he wrote was just three pages, not up to the statement shown to him during the trial.
Idris also questioned the date on the statement presented in court by the DSS, arguing that on that particular day, he was in Ondo state.
The witness, Idris, one of the suspects standing trial over the terrorist attack on the Owo church attack, made the denials while testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite at the continuation of defence
While testifying before the court in the charges levelled against him by the Federal Government, Idris insisted: “It is not my own”.
The suspects were arrested in connection with the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state, which left 41 worshippers dead and more than 140 others injured.
Other defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.
Abdulhalim, a student of Umar bin Qotor, an Arabic and Islamic school owned by Gufuron in Oboroke, Ihima, Kogi state, said he wasJSS3 before he was arrested.
The witness, who said he was at his father’s house at Omi Alafia sleeping on the 8th of August 2022 when he was arrested by the men of the Department of State Security (DSS). After his arrest, he said he was not called for a very long time until he was brought to court alongside others.
Under cross examination led by the prosecution, counsel said: “Firstly, this is not my handwriting. Secondly, what I wrote is just three pages, not up to this.
“Thirdly, the date on this statement. That very day, I was in Ondo state. So, it is not my own,”
On whether he knew the name of his class teacher and whether or not they are aware that he was no longer in school or made an enquiry why he was not coming to school again, Abdulhalim said: “I do not have access to any of them again and I would not know whether they are a making efforts to know my whereabout or not.
Abdulhalim, who confirmed to the court that he could read and write but was limited to his level, added: “There are words that I can see but can not pronounce very well.”
He told the court that he was never a bad person and not wicked. He pleaded that in his community, Omi Alafia, both Christians, muslims, and traditionalists lived peacefully, and there was no enemity.
“Even in my family, we have both christian and muslims, and my uncle, Jamiu, got married to an Igbo Christian.” Abdulhalim said.
