The change of counsel to John Idumange, a former General Manager of Radio Bayelsa, who raised an alarm over alleged diversion of N3 billion Agric loan by government officials on Friday stalled trial at a Bayelsa High Court.
When the case was called for hearing,
a new counsel Ms Ebiye Enegi who announced her appearance for Idumange urged
the court to grant a short adjournment to enable her study the case file as she
was only briefed the previous day.
She apologized for Idumange's absence
in court adding that the defendant was currently in hospital for treaent .
The prosecution led by Mrs Iyobosa
Apulu, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Bayelsa, who said she had no
objection to the adjournment sought by the new lawyer noted that the case has severally
been adjourned at the instance of the defendant.
“We do not have any objection to this
request for adjournment based on a new lawyer taking over, however it
should be noted that this is one adjournment, to many on this case.
"The reasons have ranged from
accident to Ill health without any concrete evidence before the court, there is
no detail of how the accident happened or the nature of the sickness.
”We do hope that the new
defence counsel will do her utmost best and bring the defendant to court to
take his plea," Iyobosa said.
Justice Iniekenimi Uzakah
subsequently adjourned the matter until Sept. 15.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner
for Justice in Bayelsa, Biriyai Sambo, (SAN) had filed a suit against Idumange
for misdemeanour and seditious publications against government officials.
A Magistrates’ Court had on March 11
in Yenagoa, ordered Idumange’s detention for 30 days, pending police
investigation.
Idumange, who alleged that officials
of Bayelsa government had diverted a N3 billion Agric loan and subsequently
submitted a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was
arrested on March 10.
Some officials of the state
government had reported to the police that Idumange had made seditious
publications that maligned their persons in his claims.
However, the State High Court,
Sagbama Division, granted bail to Idumange, who was also an aide on Research
and Documentation and later Social Media to former Bayelsa Governor, Seriake
Dickson.
The case, earlier assigned to Justice
Ebiyerin Omukoro, was reassigned to Justice Uzakah.
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