By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
Federal High Court II sitting in Jos has adjourned EFCC case of alleged fraud of N400,700,000 involving one Ibrahim Suleiman, whose counsel withdrew from the case.
Suleiman is currently being tried on seven-count charge on alleged money laundering contrary to Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2004, among others.
When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Mr Solomon Umoh (SAN), who had been defending Sulieman through one of his associates, Mr Nanfwang Gwanson, announced his withdrawal.
He said “at this stage, my hands are tied and I can’t continue with this case.’’
The Presiding judge, Justice Ayo Emmanuel had to adjourn the case to Wednesday to enable Suleiman gets a new counsel to represent him.
On resumption on Wednesday, Mr Oludare Komolafe, announced his appearance for Suleiman and applied for adjournment to enble him study the case and come in proper in defence of the accused.
“My Lord, my client only met me and briefed me yesterday over this case and I have to come and before your lordship to announce my appearance for him in this matter.
“I hereby wish to apply for an adjournment within which I would be able to study the case file and come back prepared to represent the accused proper,’’ Komolafe pleaded.
Responding, the prosecution counsel, Mr Cosmas Egwu, did not object to the application.
Emmanuel then granted the application and adjourned the case to June 16 and 17, 2017 for continuation of hearing.
“Since you are coming into the case newly, you take your time and go throught the case file so that when we come June 16 and 17 we shall go straight to business,” the Judged admonished.
Oue Correspondent reports that the accused had, in June 29, 2007, allegedly hacked into the system of the defunct First Inland Bank plc, transferred and distributed the amount into his private account and different others without the knowledge of the bank.
The bank only came to know about the racket after sometime and reported the matter to EFCC, which arrested and arraigned him before Justice Emmanuel on Oct. 28, 2007.
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Trouble began for the defence counsel, when two of his vital witnesses failed show up in court to testify and the alleged ill health of the accused which made him unable to testify in his own case.
The defence counsel, EFCC prosecution counsel and the trial Judge, who always traveled to Jos from Ibadan, had agreed in February to adjourn for April 24 and 25 to sit and listen to all three defence witnesses, including the accused, to complete the 10-year old case.
But when the case came up, only one witness showed up and was taken; thereafter, Gwanson lamented the absence of the remaining two witnesses.
The Judge then asked the counsel to take on the accused, Suleiman, to make up for the efforts and time taken for the trip from Ibadan but Gwanson declined, saying it was not possible.
The defence counsel produced and tendered a medical report from a hospital, Victoria Memorial Hospital, which said that the accused had been granted five days excuse duty and so not in good health to testify.
“My Lord, right now the accused has just reported to me that he is having a split headache and cannot testify before the court today.
“As you can see on the medical report on the health condition of the defendant, he won’t be able to testify today; we hereby urge the court to subpoena the remaining two witnesses to appear before your lordship on the next adjourned date.
“My lord, we don’t have the coercive power to drag them to court, but we believe the court has such power and should subpoena them to come by force; we also wish to call one Bindawa before the other witness, to wrap up,” he told the court.
It was at that stage that the EFCC counsel, Mr Comas Egwu, opposed the application for adjournment, describing the application as “delay tactics’’ which should not be entertained or granted.
In his earlier ruling, Justice Emmanuel declined the application for an adjournment.
`The last adjournment was at the instance of the defence counsel and today again, they are asking for another adjournment after we all agreed to be serious with the business of the day.
“The two medical reports of the defendant are contradictory as one is Mercy Crest Medical and the other from Victoria Memorial Hospital and have to show lack of seriousness on the side of the defence.
“The medical reports and the desire to introduce One Mr Bindawa as witness and the request for adjournment are but ploy to delay this case as the reasons are most untenable and hereby refused and I urge the defence to continue with their case, ’’ the judge ruled.
It was at this stage that Gwanson announced to the court that “I am constrained to withdraw representation for the defendant’’.
The judge, however, asked the accused person what he intended to do since his counsel had withdrawn their service from him.
Suleiman said he would need time to get another lawyer that would represent him in court.
The judge then adjourned the case till todaY, Wednesday for continuation of hearing.
However, till June 16 and 17, 2017 when the case will come up again for continuation of hearing as adjourned by the trial judge.
