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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court has imposed a fine of N200, 000 on the Attorney General of the Federation( AGF) for truncating the trial of four co-defendants of Nnamd Kanu on treasonable felony charges.
Justice Nyako specifically ordered that each of the defendant be paid N50,000 by the AGF for the inconveniences they suffered as a result of absence of the lead prosecution counsel to the federal government, Mr Shuaib Magaji Labaran.
Justice Nyako who was miffed by the conduct of the prosecution counsel ordered that the N200, 000 must be paid to the defendants before the adjourned date of March 17.
The four defendants are Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudike, Benjamin Maduagwu and David Nwaurusi.
The defendants had through their lawyers complained bitterly about the hardships they go through in raising funds for their transportation to Abuja.
At Wednesday proceedings, no legal representation came for the federal government at the time the matter was called.
However, as the Judge was about to take adjournment, one Mrs Adewumi Aluko from the Federal Ministry of Justice came in apologized that the the federal government’s lead counsel was out of the country.
She announced that two witnesses were in court but will not want to proceed in the absence of the lead counsel and sought for an adjournment.
Her apology did not go down well with the Judge who counseled the federal government to be more serious in the trial of the defendants.
The Judge also extended similar counselling to the defense lawyers to stop using frivolous applications to delay the trial which was started since 2015
Meanwhile, Justice Nyako has fixed March 17 for resumption of the trial.
