Defence Stalls ex-Nasarawa Gov’s Trial
Adetokunbo Fakeye
The trial of former governor of Nasarawa State, Aliyu Akwe Doma and two others before Justice A. A Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State was today stalled as the defence sought adjournment pending the determination of its application for the transfer of the case to another judge.
The ex-governor is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Timothy Anthony Anjide and Dauda Egwe on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the defence counsel, Charles Edosomwan, SAN who was represented by Olalekan Ojo, told the court that, he had a pending application before the Chief Judge requesting for the transfer of the case to another judge to ensure that justice is done to the parties in the case.
The defence, in seeking adjournment of the case, relied on Section 7(a) of the Practice Direction of the Federal High Court which allows any counsel who may wish to make a petition against a judge to inform the chief judge in writing of the allegations against the judge concerned. He urged the court to give effect to the rules of the practice direction and stand down the case pending the determination of the petition.
Responding, counsel to EFCC, Oluwakemi Pinheiro, SAN, said the application is a calculated attempt to delay and frustrate the case now that the prosecution is at the verge of closing its case.
He stated that, the judge has been fair and impartial in the conduct of the case. According to him, it is rather the defence that has all along tested beyond limits, “the patience of the learned trial judge by their incessant, unnecessary and, with profound respect, frivolous applications and indulgences sought from the court as well as other dilatory tactics trumped up to deliberately delay and frustrate expeditious trial in this charge”.
Pinheiro who was visibly unhappy with the application urged the court to dismiss it saying, it is frivolous and pre-emptive.
After listening to the argument of counsel, Justice Okeke adjourned the case to June 30, 2014 for mention.
One of the counts in the charge against the accused persons reads:
“That you Aliyu Akwe Doma (former governor of Nasarawa State, Timothy Anthony Anjide and Dauda Egwe between January 2007 and December 2009 in lafia Nasarawa State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court converted the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (five billion naira only) property of Nasarawa State Government being proceeds of an illicit act to wit: concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act”.
