The General Court Martial handling the alleged coup plot case involving a number of military officers has postponed its ruling for the fourth time.

The ruling, which was initially scheduled for September 30, has now been moved to October 5, according to a notice issued to members of the court and other parties involved in the proceedings.

The court is expected to sit at 10 a.m. at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess in Asokoro, Abuja. The notice announcing the postponement did not provide any reason for the latest adjournment.

The case involves military personnel accused of participating in an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The officers are currently standing trial before the military tribunal.

A key issue before the court is the admissibility of statements allegedly obtained from some of the accused officers during investigations.

Defence lawyers have challenged the statements, alleging that some of the officers were pressured, intimidated or coerced into making or reproducing them. They also questioned the absence of legal representatives, witnesses and video recordings during parts of the statement-taking process.

The prosecution, however, maintains that the statements were made voluntarily and should be admitted as evidence in the trial.

Several of the accused officers have testified during a trial-within-a-trial, alleging intimidation, inducement and physical abuse while in detention. Some claimed they were compelled to reproduce pre-written statements during interrogation.

The General Court Martial is presided over by Air Vice Marshal H. I. Alhaji, and its ruling on the disputed statements is expected to determine whether the evidence can be used in the continuation of the trial.

The latest postponement extends the wait for a decision in one of the military’s most closely watched cases, with proceedings now set to resume on October 5.