From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The trial of 20 former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) for alleged attempted murder and assault has suffered several setbacks before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The defendants, including a one-time PTD National Chairman, Lucky Osesua, are standing trial on a five-count charge, number FCT/HC/CR/042/2023, before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Maitama division of the court.
Other defendants alleged to have attacked the NUPENG National President, Mr Williams Akporeha; the Union’s Secretary-General, Olawale Afolabi; and the new PTD National Chairman, Augustine Egbon are Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmimin Shaibu, and John Amajuoyi.
The rest are Adamu Ibrahim, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, Sunday Ezeocha, and seven others.
The NUPENG members were particularly alleged to have acted ‘in a manner likely to cause the death of one Comrade Williams Akporeha and Comrade Augustine Egbon’ when they laid siege to the PTD’s office at No. 50 Moses Majekodunmi Crescent, Utako District, in Abuja on 1 November.
The defendants were further accused of voluntarily causing grievous bodily harm to Comrade Williams Akporeha, Comrade Olawale Afolabi, Comrade Solomon Kilanko, and Comrade Augustine Egbon. The prosecution said they acted in a manner likely to cause their deaths, among other allegations against them.
However, the defendants have all entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.
Although the trial of the defendants began on 26 June 2024, with the testimony of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Olawale Afolabi, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the matter has suffered several adjournments since then.
For the second consecutive time this year, the matter has witnessed two adjournments due to issues involving the defendants.
On 27 January, when the matter last came up, the absence of the second prosecution witness (PW2), Williams Akporeha, who is the NUPENG President, stalled the hearing. He was said to have been out of the country and unable to attend court due to a flight delay caused by bad weather.
Akporeha had, on Wednesday, 23 October 2024, while testifying against the defendants, narrated before the court how attempts were made on his life and those of Afolabi and Egbon on 1 November 2023, declaring that he feared for his life.
According to him, while he narrowly escaped being lynched by the defendants, both Afolabi and Egbon were not so fortunate, as they were thoroughly beaten by the defendants before the arrival of policemen from Utako Police Station.
Justice Halilu had, at the last court sitting, adjourned the trial to yesterday, but just like previous sessions, proceedings were stalled due to the absence of the 19th defendant, Adamu Ibrahim, in court. The prosecution, David Kaswe, said Adamu was in custody at the Calabar Correctional Centre.
The defence counsel, Christopher Oshomegie, SAN, confirmed this development when he informed the court that Ibrahim was in custody at the correctional facility in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Oshomegie said he was told that Ibrahim had a domestic issue due to ignorance of the environment, adding that his bail was being sorted out in Calabar.
Responding to this, the prosecution counsel, Kaswe, said there was a report that Ibrahim had committed an offence in Calabar.
According to Kaswe, Ibrahim was said to have impregnated his teenage daughter, which was the main reason he was in custody.
Kaswe then told the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed with the trial in the absence of the 19th defendant and urged the court to activate the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to continue the case without Ibrahim.
Justice Halilu, however, said that the court noted that at the last sitting, Ibrahim was present in court, adding that the court was hearing for the first time about his alleged offence in Calabar.
The judge added that, in the interest of justice, the 19th defendant should be given one last chance to appear before the court for the trial, failing which the court would proceed with the matter in his absence.
Based on the agreement of the parties, Justice Halilu subsequently adjourned the case to 19 May 2025 for a definite hearing.