Abuja court jails Benue bandit leader Gana’s spy for 40 years

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday sentenced one Sunday Frank to 40 years in correctional custody for acting as a spy for notorious Benue bandit leader, the late Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana.

Frank, who hails from Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, was convicted after confessing that he monitored and provided information to Gana about the movement of security agents.

He was arraigned on a four-count charge filed by the Federal Government and prosecuted by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

According to the charge, the convict also kidnapped one Samuel in 2022 and held him hostage until the sum of N40,000 was paid as ransom.

He was accused of committing offences contrary to Sections 21 and 24 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.

Although the defendant denied counts 1, 2 and 3 which border on abduction, he pleaded guilty to count 4 which relates to providing information to the bandit leader.

Following his plea, the AGF applied for the three counts denied by the defendant to be struck out, a request which was granted by the court.

The prosecution thereafter called a witness who told the court that he was part of the team that investigated the defendant.

In his submission, the AGF urged the court to convict the defendant on Count 4 to which he pleaded guilty, in view of his confessional statement and exhibits tendered.

Delivering judgement, Justice Hawa Yilwa found the defendant guilty on Count 4 and sentenced him to 40 years’ imprisonment, with effect from the date of his arrest.

The court also ordered that upon completion of his jail term, the convict should undergo a rehabilitation programme.

The case is part of the ongoing mass trial of detained terror suspects.