The trial of Yakubu Jekada, one of the six persons accused of committing criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds belonging to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been stalled due to the ill-health of his counsel.
Jekada was first arraigned on May 31, 2018 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Peter Affen of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
He was arraigned on a four count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest use of JAMB funds to the tune of N11.189 million.
The JAMB official was accused of committing criminal breach of trust while being JAMB state coordinator for Plateau State between 2009 and 2016 when he was entrusted with 11, 189 units of e-facility cards belonging to the Board which he disposed without duly rendering accounts to the Board.
He was on June 3, 2019 admitted to N10 million bail with one surety who would be recommended to the court in writing by the counsel of the defendant, Gyang Zi.
Justice Affen further ordered that the surety would swear to affidavit of means and possesses landed property equivalent to the bail sum in Abuja.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, Ekene Iheneacho, informed that the prosecution has two witnesses in court.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Zi informed the court of his inability to go on with the case on health ground.
According to Zi, as of the time he was leaving Jos, the Plateau State capital, for Abuja, he was not feeling fine and had to get some drugs but the situation worsened when he got to Abuja.
“I am being constrained to ask for an adjournment on health grounds. When I was leaving Jos yesterday (Monday), I was feeling funny and had to get drugs thinking it would help. Unfortunately when I got to Abuja, the situation became worse,” Zi told the court.
He, therefore, asked for an adjournment to enable him to proceed with the case.
Based on the situation, Justice Affen adjourned the case till March 3 for continuation of hearing.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
