The Kaduna State High Court, Dogarawa Zaria in Kaduna has admitted, as evidence a video clip of an interview by Aminiya Newspaper reporter and one Idris Mustapha, a defendant in alleged kidnap case.
The court was told that the clip recorded sometime in January 2021, showed the defendant allegedly made incriminating statements about his involvement in the kidnapping of prominent people in Zaria.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Lucia Mamman, the prosecution counsel tendered the video clip through the reporter, Alhaji Aliyu Babankarfi, who was testifying as prosecution witness in the case.
Babankarfi told the court that sometime in January 2021, he went to Danmagaji Divisional Police Headquarters, Zaria alongside other reporters where they stumbled on some arrests by the Police.
He added that after a request, the reporters interviewed the suspects, including the defendant, Idris Mustapha.
According to him, the suspects disclosed their identities and how they committed several offences.
He said he used his mobile phone to make a video coverage of the interview with the suspects and subsequently filed the report to his employer for publication.
The reporter told the court that the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice applied to his employer, (Media Trust) requesting for the video clip, which the ministry described as vital to the prosecution of their case.
The prosecution counsel, Mamma, then applied for the video to be played and the same to be admitted as evidence having complied with the provisions of Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
Mohammed Baba, defence counsel objected to the application on grounds that the disc containing the clip did not indicate where it emanated from.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Abdulkadir-Sabo Mahmud granted the prosecution’s application to play the video clip.
The judge admitted the video clip with its accompanying certificate of compliance as evidence.
The judge marked the video clip as Exhibit P1 and the certificate of compliance was marked as Exhibit P2.
The judge adjourned the trial until January 29, for hearing.
According to the prosecution, Mustapha and one Isah Ibrahim (now at large) are standing trial on two-count charge hinged on kidnapping.
The defendants were alleged to have kidnapped one Ibrahim Yakubu, Yusha’u Sani, Abdullahi Mohammed-Awwal and Aisha Mohammed Awwal, all residents of Nagoyi area in Zaria on January 28, 2021.
The defendants were also accused of collecting N14m as ransom before the victims were released.
The prosecution said the offence was contrary to sections 246 (c) and 247 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, No. 5 of 2017.
