Court Discharges Lebanese Arms Dealers

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Karu, a suburb of Abuja has struck out the case of alleged terrorism and illegal importation of firearms leveled against four Lebanese nationals, Mustapha Fawaz, Talal Roda, Abdulla Tahini and Kossay Nourdin.

At the resumed trial, the prosecuting counsel, Cliff Osagie, in his application to withdraw the charges, told the court that further investigation against the accused persons revealed that the offences for which they were charged before the court were clearly outside the scope and jurisdiction of the court.

Lawyer to the accused persons, Ahmed Raji, in his response informed the court that he had already filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case and therefore will not object to the application for withdrawal of the charges filed by the prosecutor.

Having listened to both parties, Magistrate Muyiwa Oyeyipo granted the prayer of the prosecutor and struck out the case against the four accused persons who were subsequently discharged.

The men are suspected of having links with the Islamist militant group, Hezbollah, and charged with terrorism and possession of illegal arms, after authorities said they found heavy weapons in one of their homes in Kano, North West Nigeria.