The absence of counsel representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has stalled the ongoing trial of former Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo.
Gwarzo was docked before an FCT High Court in Maitama by the ICPC on a five-count charge along with Zakawani Garba, a commissioner in SEC for allegedly paying himself severance benefits of N104.8m and N10.4m in excess of car grant while still in service.
However, at the resumed hearing of the trial on Thursday, a counsel from ICPC, Agbili Ezenwa told the court that the lawyer handling the case, Raheem Adesina was unable to make it to court. He said Adesina was outside the country on an official assignment and therefore urged the court for a short adjournment.
Gwarzo’s counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), while not expressly objecting to the application for adjournment, urged the court to direct that the prosecution should bring all its witnesses and documents needed for the trial to court at the next adjourned date to avoid further delay of the trial.
“Criminal prosecution is a serious issue and the liberties of the defendants are at stake. Thus, it is only fair we have expeditious trial,” he said.
On his part, the second defendant’s counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo urged the court to direct the prosecution to enter into an undertaking to either finish its case on the next adjourned date or risk foreclosure.
The trial court, Justice Hussaini Baba-Yusuf, while adjourning the matter to October 18 and 19, urged the prosecution to be diligent. “When we have a public trial like this, it must be seen that utmost importance is attached to it,” he said.
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