Court sentences arms courier Halima Umar to 20 years in prison

Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court has sentenced a woman, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years in prison after convicting her for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and attempting to support acts of terrorism.

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The conviction followed charges brought against her by the Department of State Services, which arrested her in Plateau State. Halima Haliru Umar had pleaded guilty on March 11 to two counts in a four-count charge during her arraignment before the court.

The offences in counts three and four related to unlawful possession of live AK-47 ammunition and attempting to provide support for terrorist activities. Following her guilty plea, Justice Yilwa adjourned the matter for judgment on the counts she admitted to.

Delivering judgment, the court noted that the defendant voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charges and accepted the facts presented by the prosecution without offering any defence. Defence counsel Hamza Dantani appealed to the court for leniency, arguing that the convict was a first-time offender who showed remorse and did not waste the court’s time.

He also informed the court that she was a nursing mother caring for a one-year-old child who was reportedly arrested alongside her, urging the judge to temper justice with mercy. Prosecuting counsel Caliistus Eze told the court that the prosecution had no record of any previous conviction against the defendant.

After briefly suspending proceedings, Justice Yilwa returned to deliver the sentence, imposing 20 years imprisonment on count three and one year imprisonment on count four. The judge subsequently adjourned the case until July 9 for the commencement of trial on counts one and two, to which the defendant pleaded not guilty.