The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, sentenced Sunday Frank to 40 years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to spying for the late notorious Benue militia leader, Terwase Akwanza, popularly known as Gana.
Justice Hawa Yilwa convicted Frank, who hails from Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, on count 4 of a four-count charge brought by the federal government under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act (TPPA) 2022. The sentence runs from the day of his arrest.
The court also ordered that, on completing his prison term, the convict undergo a rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme.
The federal government alleged that Frank monitored the movement of security agents and passed the information to Gana, with his coverage spanning Benue and Taraba states.
He was also accused of kidnapping one Samuel in 2022 and holding him hostage until N40,000 was paid for his release.
The offences were alleged to be contrary to sections 21 and 24 of the TPPA 2022. The charge was personally prosecuted by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
Frank denied counts 1, 2 and 3, which related to the alleged abduction, but pleaded guilty to count 4, which related to providing information to the bandit leader. Following the plea, the AGF applied for the three denied counts to be struck out, and the court granted the request.
The prosecution called a witness who was part of the team that investigated Frank. Identified only as ” AAA” after the court allowed the federal government to shield his identity, he reviewed the facts of the case.
He told the court that Frank, who was arrested in 2022, confessed orally and in writing to being a bandit and an informant to Gana.
According to the witness, Frank admitted that, besides giving Gana updates on the movement of security agents, he participated in banditry and in the abduction of two persons.
The defence counsel, Mr Y. Y. Shullai, did not oppose the prosecution’s application to tender Frank’s statement in evidence. Justice Yilwa admitted it as Exhibit A. The investigation report filed by the witness’s team was tendered and admitted as Exhibit B.
Citing the confession and the exhibits, the AGF urged the court to convict Frank on count 4. He described the offence as very serious, noting that the law prescribes a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life.
He asked for a sentence of not less than 30 years, warning: “If it is not nipped in the bud, a whole generation of our security operatives can be wiped out by people like this providing information about their movement.”
