Court orders probe into leaked evidence of alleged coup plot

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate a claim made by the prosecution that some of the evidence presented in court and served to the defendants’ lawyers had been posted on social media.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also ordered that if any such evidence appeared online, in violation of the court’s earlier protection order for witnesses, the DSS should investigate and bring the offender to justice.

The judge instructed that the investigation be carried out while the trial was still ongoing, noting that all defendants, through their counsel, denied any involvement.

During the proceedings, prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that he had received information indicating that certain videos submitted in the case had been posted on social media by a user known as “Very Dark Man.” He added that the same individual had been present in the audience.

Oyedepo urged the judge to order an investigation into how the materials reached “Very Dark Man.” When asked to respond, the six defence lawyers denied any involvement. Some requested that Oyedepo file a formal application and an affidavit so they could respond appropriately.

The judge then heard the bail applications filed by the defendants. While the defence lawyers sought liberal bail terms, the prosecution asked the court to dismiss the applications.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until June 25 and June 30 for the first, second and third defendants to present their defence in the trial‑within‑trial. The fourth, fifth and sixth defendants were scheduled to do so on July 1 and July 2. The judge also set a ruling on the bail application for July 20.

Earlier, the prosecution had requested that the court admit as evidence the statements made by the defendants to investigators. The fourth prosecution witness in the trial‑within‑trial, identified only as “DDD,” was led in evidence by Oyedepo. He denied all allegations made by the defendants, including claims that they were tortured to produce the statements, and stated that five of the defendants, except the first, had admitted knowledge of the plot.

When questioned about the defendants’ claim that their feet were chained, the witness said, “It is not true. The feet of the defendants were not chained; they walked into the interview room by themselves.” He added that if they had been chained, the sound of the chain would have been heard in the video played in court earlier on Tuesday.

Regarding the absence of lawyers during the interviews, the witness said none of the defendants requested the presence of their lawyers, family members, officials of the Legal Aid Council, or a justice of the peace (JP).

The witness urged the court to admit the statement and the audiovisual recordings of the interview session with the defendants as evidence for the trial.

During cross‑examination by the defendants’ lawyers, the witness reiterated that the defendants did not make their statements in the presence of lawyers, family members, Legal Aid Council officials or a JP, and maintained that they were neither tortured nor compelled to speak.

After the cross‑examination, Oyedepo announced the closure of the prosecution’s case in the trial‑within‑trial, having called four witnesses.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six men are being prosecuted over their alleged involvement in a coup plot to topple the President Bola Tinubu‑led government. (NAN)