Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court has sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years imprisonment after finding her guilty of unlawfully possessing 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and attempting to support terrorist activities.
The conviction followed charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), which arrested the defendant in Plateau State. During her arraignment on March 11, Umar pleaded guilty to two of the four counts brought against her.
Counts three and four bordered on unlawful possession of live AK-47 ammunition and attempting to provide support for terrorism-related activities. Following her guilty plea, Justice Yilwa fixed a date for judgment on the admitted charges.
In delivering judgment, the court held that the defendant voluntarily admitted to the offences and did not challenge the prosecution’s evidence. Defence counsel, Hamza Dantani, pleaded for leniency, describing Umar as a first-time offender who showed remorse and cooperated with the court proceedings.
Dantani also told the court that the convict was a nursing mother caring for a one-year-old child allegedly arrested with her, and urged the court to show mercy in sentencing.
Prosecuting counsel, Caliistus Eze, confirmed that the prosecution had no record of any previous conviction against the defendant.
After a brief stand-down, Justice Yilwa sentenced Umar to 20 years imprisonment on count three and one year imprisonment on count four.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until July 9 for trial on counts one and two, which the defendant denied.
