Justice Awaits: Trial Of Owo Church Massacre Suspects Set For October 19

A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the bail application of five men accused of taking part in the June 5, 2022 massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

In a ruling delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, the court held that the defendants, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, could not be granted bail because the charges against them are capital in nature and linked to terrorism.

According to Ireporter Online, the judge agreed with the Department of State Services (DSS) that releasing the suspects could pose a threat to witnesses, compromise the trial, and increase the risk of flight, considering the gravity of the allegations. The court noted that the defendants failed to provide credible sureties and also dismissed their application as incompetent, citing errors in the motion papers, including the failure to list their names individually and the submission of a joint affidavit contrary to legal requirements.

The DSS had argued that the weight of evidence against the suspects was substantial and that granting them bail would amount to judicial risk. Justice Nwite upheld this position, ruling that the defendants had not presented any convincing reason to be released ahead of their trial.

The court subsequently granted an accelerated hearing of the case and fixed October 19 as the date for the commencement of trial.

The suspects are accused of being members of the Al Shabab terrorist group with operational cells in Kogi State, a crime punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.