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A Federal High Court has refused to fully grant an application brought by the Federal Government seeking to conduct the trial of Senator Ali Ndume in secret.
Ndume, a senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District is standing trial on terrorism charges.
Ruling on the application, Justice Gabriel Kolawole said that the application was not strong enough to be granted in full.
Justice Kolawole held that while the accused was entitled to fair hearing and fair trial, the state owed the responsibility of protecting the lives of prosecution witnesses during the trial.
He said that the application was caught between fair hearing/trial and state responsibility, thereby necessitating the court to strike a balance between the two ends.
He added that witnesses would be shielded under a special arrangement by the court but that they would not be masked.
Kolawole also said that only members of the press and parties in the suit would be allowed into the court room.
Ndume, who was alleged to be financing Boko Haram, is standing trial for allegedly failing to inform law enforcement agencies of the activities of the outlawed sect.
Justice Kolawole adjourned the case to November 11 and 12 to commence the trial.
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