Olayiwola Matthew
Video recordings of investigators’ interviews with three of six defendants standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu were played at a federal high court in Abuja on Monday.
In the recordings, two defendants, Erasmus Victor, a retired navy captain, and Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector, admitted they were aware of the alleged plot. Mohammed Gana, a retired major-general and the third defendant, denied any knowledge of the plan.
The video evidence was contained in a hard drive tendered by the prosecution.
Counsel to the defendants objected to the admissibility of the recordings, arguing that the statements were not made voluntarily.
They also opposed the playing of the videos in open court on the grounds that they had not been admitted in evidence.
However, Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, overruled the objections and directed that the recordings be played.
Abdulmalik said the objections had been noted, adding that the court would conduct a trial- within-trial to determine whether the statements were made voluntarily.
In the interview, Gana said he retired from the Nigerian Army in 2010 as chief of defence logistics and had since lived a quiet life.
Gana admitted knowing the alleged mastermind, M.A. Ma’aji, a colonel, but said he was unaware of any plan to overthrow the government.
He admitted receiving between N1.4 million and N1.5 million and conducting reconnaissance around the Presidential Villa, including Aguda House.
He said he took photographs of parts of the villa and discussed possible access routes, adding that coded terms such as “fertiliser” and “farming” were used to refer to funding and the alleged operation.
However, he said he did not take the plan seriously.
“I played along because I knew it would be impossible for them to access the State House,” he said.
According to the prosecution, investigators had informed the defendants that the interviews were recorded in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), and that they were also told of their right to remain silent.
The case was adjourned to Tuesday at 11am for continuation of hearing.
