Judge berates prosecutor’s absence in 5-year armed robbery case

An FCT High Court in Jabi has condemned the absence of police prosecutor in a 2012 armed robbery case before it as delay tactics. Justice Abba Muhammed berated the Nigeria Police for employing delay tactics to keep the armed robbery suspect, Sunday Haruna, in prison since 2012. Haruna was alleged to have robbed a private […]

An FCT High Court in Jabi has condemned the absence of police prosecutor in a 2012 armed robbery case before it as delay tactics.

Justice Abba Muhammed berated the Nigeria Police for employing delay tactics to keep the armed robbery suspect, Sunday Haruna, in prison since 2012.

Haruna was alleged to have robbed a private residence in Kubwa, Abuja, in 2012 where he carted away properties and other valuables at gun point.

At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to the accused, Samson Paul, said he was in court in respect of a no-case submission filed by his client but was surprised that the prosecutor, Adama Musa, was absent again. 

He said that Musa called to inform him he would not be in court as he had a very tight schedule at the FCT High courts in Kubwa and Maitama.

Disappointed with the explanation, the judge said the action of the prosecutor was infringing on the rights of the defendant.

“This is so disheartening. People out there lampoon the judiciary for foot-dragging. This case has been on since 2012, and the defendant has been kept in prison without recourse to his fundamental rights,” he said.

He thereafter adjourned the case to November 14.