By Idibia Gabriel, Kaduna
The legal battle between the Epoch Times New York, Kaduna Nigeria correspondent Mr Luka Binniyat and the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs Kaduna state Mr Samuel Aruwan suffered set back following inability of the prosecutor’s principal witness to appear at the federal high court sitting in Kaduna state on Tuesday.
Mr Luka Binniyat who is also the spokesman of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAOU) is being charged under cyber crimes act for cyber stalking as the basic allegation against him.
When the case came up on Tuesday for continuation of hearing, the prosecutor could not produced his last witness in court, “and the matter was adjourned to second week of September 5th 2022, by the presiding federal high court judge justice Mohammed Garba.
Speaking to Journalists at the end of the session, Counsel to defendants Ehizogie Fedelis Imadojemu and Emmanuel Kolawole Atteh said the parties involved in the prosecution of Binniyat include the state commissioner of internal security and home affairs Samuel Aruwan, the state and federal government of Nigeria.
“The prosecutors has alluded to the fact that they maybe forced to close their case if the last witness does not show up. So if they do, they’ll at that point, decide our next step in defense.
“The prosecutors are the state, Attorney General of Kaduna state, although the party is the federal republic of Nigeria. The nominal complainant actually is Mr Samuel Aruwan”, barrister Edojemu said.
Earlier, the defendant Mr Binniyat told journalists colleagues in an interview that he’s been prosecuted by Mr Samuel Aruwan over a story he reported sometimes last year 2021 in Epoch Times New York, alleging that the story jeopardized the security of himself and that his family.
“All the six trials I’m going through has got to do directly with the stories about the southern Kaduna, described as genocide carried out on them by armed Fulani herdsmen.
“This is the six judge I’m facing under this regime. I’ve being prison six times, in various notorious police detention centres including CID Gabsawa police station.
“I’ve continuously been in trial since this government came into office since 2016 and a total of half a year spent in prison”, Binniyat alleges saying he’s no longer feeling secured and all the times worried about the security of himself and his family too.
He added that even though the Cyber stalking is a federal government law but Aruwan is the complaints and one who is seeking my imprisonment.
