DSS has sought death penalty for suspects in Owo Catholic Church attack case.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Department of State Services has urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to sentence to death five suspects standing trial over the 2022 terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church.
This Nigeria news platform understands that Justice Emeka Nwite reserved judgment on Tuesday after counsel to both the prosecution and defence adopted their final written addresses in the case.
The trial judge stated that the date for the judgment would be communicated to all parties involved.
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Counsel to the DSS, Ayodeji Adedipe, asked the court to convict the defendants and impose the maximum punishment, citing the severity of the alleged offence and the devastating impact of the attack.
However, defence counsel, Abdullahi Mohammad, urged the court to discharge and acquit the suspects, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The five defendants; Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar are being prosecuted over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The attack reportedly claimed the lives of 41 worshippers, while more than 140 others sustained injuries during the incident.
During the trial, the DSS presented 11 witnesses and tendered several exhibits before the court, including alleged confessional statements, forensic reports and a mobile phone said to contain communications linked to the attack.
