The prosecution team’s absence from the FCT High Court, Jabi, Abuja, on Thursday, halted the trial of suspects linked to the killing of Arise News newscaster Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami.
According to K.P. Samson, a lawyer representing two defendants in the case, said the prosecution lawyer, Adama Musa, requested an adjournment because he was involved in a separate case before another court.
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Mr Sampson and the other lawyers who represented the defendants, all of whom were in court, did not object to the adjournment.
Thereafter, the trial judge, Mohammed Idris, granted the request. “Having collectively agreed, this matter has been adjourned for 21 April,” the judge said.
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However, he urged the lawyers to coordinate their efforts to expedite the trial.
According to the judge, a smooth proceeding will ensure that the trial is concluded before the end of the year. He then asked the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) officials to return the defendants to the custodial centre.
This is not the first time the case has been stalled. On Monday, the NCoS’s failure to present the defendants in court halted the proceedings.
Background
Following the fatal robbery case that claimed the lives of Ms Maduagwu and Mr Danlami, the police launched an investigation that led to the arrest and subsequent charging of 11 suspects.
The suspects are Shamsu Hassan, Sani Sirajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, Suleiman Badamasi, Zaharadeen Mohammed, Musa Umar, Mashkur Jamil, Suleiman Sani and Abubakar Usman.
In January, the defendants were arraigned on nine counts of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and murder, and subsequently remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Witnesses recount fatal robbery that claimed Arise News anchor’s life
The police presented two witnesses on Wednesday. The witnesses recounted their experiences the night the fatal robbery occurred at Unique Apartment in Katampe, Abuja.
Despite their vivid description of the incident, the witnesses were unable to identify any of the suspects because the men who robbed them and took away their valuables were masked on the night of the robbery.
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