Developing story: The trial continues and the six accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A Nigerian court has admitted as evidence the statements and video recordings of six people accused of plotting a coup, rejecting defence claims that they were obtained through torture.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled this week that the material was obtained voluntarily during military interrogation. She is reported to have described the allegations of duress as an afterthought, noting that the accused had given no evidence of torture or force.
The charges
The six were arraigned in April on a 13-count charge. The counts include treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing. The charges were brought by the Federal Government through the Attorney-General's office. The accused are presumed innocent, and the court's ruling on admissibility is not a finding of guilt.
How the ruling came about
The court ordered a trial-within-a-trial in May to test whether the statements were given freely. Four prosecution witnesses testified. One was an Army officer identified only by the codename "AAA", who tendered the interrogation videos.
The defence had argued that the statements were the product of torture, inducement and coercion. The court found no evidence to support those claims.
What happens next
The main trial resumes on 7 and 10 December.
What we do not yet know
- The names of the six accused and their pleas, which were not available in the reporting we reviewed.
- Whether the defence will appeal the ruling on admissibility.
- The detail of the alleged plot, which the prosecution has yet to prove in open court.
