Ebun Francis || At the resumed hearing of the case for unlawful importation of 661 pump-action rifles into the country, two out of the five accused persons have indicated their intention to enter into a plea bargain with the prosecution.
The defendants – Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Matthew Okoye, said to be at large, and Salihu Danjuma – had been arraigned by the Attorney General of the Federation on June 14 before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
They had all pleaded not guilty to the eight charges pressed against them but the trial judge, Justice Ayokunle Faji, refused their bail request given of the gravity of the charges against them.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 25 for trial.
However, at the resumed proceedings on Monday, the second and third defendants, Oscar Okafor and Donatus Achinulo, respectively, who had changed their lawyers, indicated their intentions to change their plea from not guilty to guilty.
The application was made orally on behalf of Okafor by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), his new lawyer, and on behalf of Achinulo by Mr. Paul Ananaba (SAN).
The judge while adjourning the matter to September 26, however, directed the defendants to notify the AGF of their intention.