Man Bags 20-year Prison Term For Concealing Information On Notorious Bandit

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced Muhammad Sani, an associate of a notorious bandit identified as Danranmi, to 20 years’ imprisonment for withholding information that could have aided the arrest of the criminal suspect.

Danranmi is alleged to be a major supplier of arms and ammunition to kidnappers and bandit groups operating in parts of the country.

Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Emeka Nwite found Sani guilty of concealing information concerning the activities and whereabouts of the suspected arms supplier.

Sani was arrested and prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over terrorism-related offences.

Justice Nwite sentenced the defendant to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the first and second counts of the charge, without an option of a fine.

The judge, however, ordered that the two sentences should run concurrently. This means Sani will serve a total prison term of 20 years rather than 40 years.

The court also directed that the sentence should take effect from January 11, 2023, the date on which the defendant was arrested and taken into custody.

DSS Filed Four Terrorism Charges

NEWSNGR understands that the DSS had filed a four-count charge bordering on terrorism-related offences against Sani.

The prosecution accused him of deliberately concealing information that could have assisted security agencies in tracking and arresting Danranmi, despite allegedly knowing about the bandit’s criminal activities.

The offence was said to be contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 16(1)(b) of the same law.

The court consequently convicted Sani on two of the four counts and committed him to prison.