The Federal High Court in Abuja admitted statements and interrogation videos from six alleged coup plotters as evidence, rejecting their claims that military investigators obtained the materials through torture or coercion, BusinessDay reported.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled in a trial-within-trial that the materials had been given freely during military questioning, according to the report. The defendants had challenged their admission, alleging torture, inducement and coercion. Abdulmalik said they had presented no evidence supporting claims of mistreatment, BusinessDay reported.
The six defendants were arraigned April 22 on 13 counts, including treason, terrorism, withholding security intelligence and money laundering related to terrorism financing, the outlet reported.
Abdulmalik ordered the trial-within-trial on May 11, after four prosecution witnesses had testified, BusinessDay reported. The outlet described one witness as an Army officer known by the codename AAA; he provided the interrogation recordings.
BusinessDay reported that the ruling added the statements and recordings to the exhibits in the main trial. BusinessDay reported that further proceedings are scheduled for Dec. 7 and 10.
