Expressing her displeasure yesterday, the judge said it was unfortunate that the defence lawyers had engaged in a series of tactics to stall proceedings in the matter.
She said: “At the last adjourned date, I gave you 14 days to file your written addresses and gave the prosecution three weeks to respond to all the addresses. The first and second defendants, who have been in prison since 2012, are still presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Akinlade added that she was going to give a specific order as to when the defence lawyers were to file their written addresses as they would not be allowed to waste the time of the court. She adjourned the case till October 27 for adoption of written addresses.
At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, lawyer to the second defendant, Emeka Eze, told the court that he took ill and this made it impossible for him to file his written address as at when due. Lawyers to the third and fourth defendants, Chris Obiaka, who filed and served the prosecution yesterday morning before court proceedings, said his inability to file his written address on time was due to a series of deaths that occurred in his family. Osokogu’s trial has suffered several adjournments owing to the delay tactics of the defence counsel.
Osokogu was allegedly murdered on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Festac Town, Lagos, by her facebook lovers, Nwabufo and Ezike. The prosecution said the 25-year-old Osokogu, who was resident in Abuja, was lured to Lagos where she was killed. The offences committed were punishable under Sections 221, 249, 285 and 327 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.http://newtelegraphonline.com/cynthia-judge-knocks-lawyer-delaying-trial/
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