The trial of a former governor of
Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, continued on June 14, 2016 before Justice
Adebukola Banjoko of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Gudu, Abuja,
with the defence counsel, G. S. Pwul, SAN, telling the court that he has
decided to shelve his intention to seek a "no-case" submission and so
would want to open his defence.
Dariye is being prosecuted by the
EFCC for allegedly siphoning the state’s ecological fund to the tune of N1.16
billion.
At the sitting of June 6, 2016 when
the prosecution closed its case against Dariye, Pwul had told the court that it
would open its defence on the adjourned date of June 10, 2016 and “we intend to
present seven witnesses”, only to turn around to say that it intended to seek a
no-case submission.
On the said date, Pwul informed the
court that he intended to raise a no-case submission. He had said: “The matter
is for opening of defence, however, I am constrained to start today, as I could
not get the record of proceedings of PW1, PW4, PW5 and PW9, besides, we intend
to raise a no-case submission.”
Justice Banjoko, thereafter,
adjourned to June 14, 2016 to take arguments on the no-case submission.
However at today's sitting, Pwul,
again turned around to tell the court that the defence now intends to open its
case. He moved a motion for a writ of summons for four witnesses being sought
by the defence.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi
Jacobs, SAN, raised no objections to his motion. Justice Banjoko, subsequently,
endorsed the summons, which were to be served on the witnesses.
Justice Banjoko, thereafter, adjourned
to June 17, 2016 for the defence to open its case.
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