Investigation into the Leaked Video

• Court Directive: Following a complaint from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), regarding a video statement that surfaced on the social media platform of influencer “VeryDarkMan” despite a court-imposed restriction, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct an inquiry.

• National Security Concerns: The DPP characterized the leak as a national security risk that prejudices the ongoing judicial proceedings, noting the video had already surpassed 6,000 views.

• Defense Stance: While defense counsel denied involvement in the leak, they held varying views on a probe; some welcomed an investigation, while others, like Sanusi Musa (SAN), cautioned against acting without formal evidence.

• Judicial Ruling: Invoking Section 232(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Justice Abdulmalik mandated the DSS to identify and bring any responsible parties before the court, noting that such prosecution would be handled separately from the main coup trial.

Trial Testimony and Bail Proceedings

• Witness Testimony: A prosecution witness, an Army officer codenamed “DDD,” testified that the investigation was conducted by a multi-agency team—including the Army, DSS, DIA, and EFCC—and explicitly denied that the defendants were chained, coerced, or tortured during interrogation.

• Defense Challenges: During cross-examination, defense lawyers challenged the interrogation process, specifically noting the absence of family members or legal representation during the suspects’ questioning; however, the witness stated no such requests were made by the defendants.

• Bail Applications: The court heard bail arguments from the defense, which the DPP opposed; Justice Abdulmalik has reserved her ruling on these applications and adjourned the trial-within-trial for the first three defendants until June 25 and June 30.