A witness for the Federal Government, identified as BBB, on Wednesday presented a certified true copy of the death certificate of Ahmed Gulak, who was allegedly killed by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2021 for purportedly defying a sit-at-home order.
Gulak was a former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
The document was submitted during the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s leader, before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The witness, BBB, who is the second prosecution witness and appeared shielded in court, tendered the document while being led in evidence by the Federal Government’s counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.
At the start of proceedings, Awomolo requested permission to ask the witness a question despite the session being scheduled for cross-examination. Kanu’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, did not object, and the judge granted the request.
Awomolo asked BBB whether, as previously stated in evidence, Kanu had made a radio broadcast that called for a sit-at-home order which led to Gulak’s death. The witness affirmed this and added that he was involved in some of the investigations into the incident.
He presented a death certificate dated 18 July 2021, which he said was issued by the Nigeria Police in Owerri, Imo State. The document was described as a certified true copy of the medical report relating to Gulak’s death.
After the certificate was shown to Agabi, who raised no objection, the judge admitted it as Exhibit PWJ. Awomolo then asked that the document be read aloud in court.
Reading from the document, BBB stated it was issued by the Nigeria Police, Owerri, and indicated that Gulak was allegedly shot dead by individuals identified as members of IPOB in 2021.
Following this, Agabi commenced his cross-examination of the witness.
(NAN)