The gun-running trial involving the Senator representing
Kogi West, Dino Melaye; and two others, was stalled on Thursday as the senator
failed to appear in court.
His lawyer, Barrister Yemi Mohammed, who stood in for Mike
Ozekhome (SAN) told the trial magistrate, Suleyman Abdalah, that he had it on
good authority that Senator Melaye was attacked in Gwagwalada on Wednesday on
his way home from the court.
“I learnt that he was attacked yesterday in Gwagwalada on
his way home from the court. Up till now, I have not been able to reach him. I
don’t know where he is at the moment,” he said.
He said that the prosecution counsel was not ready to open
the case “due to the reason best known to them.”
However, the officer in charge of Police prosecution,
Theophilus Oteme, told the court that the prosecuting counsel had an emergency
yesterday, which made it “extremely difficult to appear in court.”
He, therefore, asked for long adjournment to September 23,
which was opposed by the trial magistrate who argued that “it contravened
administration of criminal justice law of Kogi State as amended.”
He, therefore, adjourned till 9th August for commencement of
trial.
