Alleged falsehood: Prosecutor, witness’ absence stalls Dino Melaye’s trial
The absence of the lead prosecution counsel and a prosecution witness on Tuesday stalled the trial of Senator Dino Melaye on alleged falsehood. Melaye was arraigned before an FCT High Court in Maitama by the federal government on a two-count charge bordering on giving false information to the police. The government alleged that Melaye sometime […]
The absence of the lead prosecution counsel and a prosecution witness on Tuesday stalled the trial of Senator Dino Melaye on alleged falsehood.
Melaye was arraigned before an FCT High Court in Maitama by the federal government on a two-count charge bordering on giving false information to the police. The government alleged that Melaye sometime in April, 2017 deliberately gave false information to the police.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, Abubakar Mustapha, a counsel on the prosecution team, urged the court to adjourned the matter due in part to what he termed a communication gap between him and the lead counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, who was absent.
He also said the prosecution witness who was billed for cross examination was also absent in court.
However, Melaye’s counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo opposed the adjournment and told the court that this was the same excuse given by the prosecution on January 18.
“The reason why the matter could not go on that day was that the same witness was absent in court and no tenable reason was given. This is the second time on record that a witness who is in the box is absent from court.
“The witness has an obligation to make himself available on every adjourned date, whether court sits or not until your lordship orders his discharge. We could not carry out cross-examination majorly because he is absent from court,” he said.
The trial judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck however granted the prayers of the prosecutor and adjourned the matter to July 3, 4 and 10. She however warned that this would be the last time she would be adjourning the matter on the reasons canvassed.