Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of an Abuja High Court in Maitama has frowned at the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, for lack of diligence prosecution in the trial of Senator Dino Melaye.
Justice Goodluck while expressing displeasure when AGF Counsel informed the court that their witnesses were not in court, ordered the prosecution to pay one hundred thousand naira for stalling the trial.
Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, was arraigned before the court sometime in April, 2017, on two counts charge bordering on giving false information to the police.
The judge held that by the provisions of Section 396 (4)(6) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, parties are entitled to five adjournments and nothing more.
The judge noted that she was not pleased with the attitude of the prosecution in the matter, especially when the matter was placed on fast track, day to day hearing and the defendant’s counsel comes from outside jurisdiction.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mrs N.O.Ezra informed the court that her witnesses were not in court.
Responding, defence counsel, Olusegun Odubela, SAN, told the court that this was unfair to the defendant because the witness could not be more involved in Kogi election than the defendant who was a candidate in the election.
The Senior Advocate urged the court to award the cost of two hundred and fifty thousand naira in favour of the defence team.
