Abuja - Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, disqualified herself from presiding over the trial of the erstwhile Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro.
This came on a day Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting also in Abuja shifted the trial of embattled National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, to May 16.
Moro is facing trial before the court over alleged complicity in a N676 million job recruitment scam that led to the death of no fewer than 20 persons in 2014. Justice Chikere, who on May 3, okayed full-blown hearing on the matter, made a U-turn, saying she would no longer hear the case on personal grounds.
“I am sending the case-file back to the Chief Judge for re-assignment on personal reasons. When it gets re-assigned, the parties can continue,” the judge stated after the case was called up for hearing.
Abba Moro Nevertheless, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, notified the court that the charge pending against the ex-minister had been amended.
Moro is answering to an 11-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, filed against him and two others.
Those facing trial with him are former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior when the alleged fraud was committed, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia and a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mr. F. O Alayebami.
They were charged alongside the firm contracted to conduct the botched March 15, 2014, National Immigration Service, NIS, recruitment exercise, Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd.
Court adjourns Metuh’s trial to May 16
Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, shifted trial of the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh to May 16.
The matter was adjourned to enable Metuh, who was said to have fallen off a swivel chair, Tuesday, to receive proper medical attention at the National Hospital, Abuja.
The PDP spokesman is answering to a seven-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and his company, Destra Investment Limited.
The defendants were alleged to have received N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, prior to the 2015 general elections.
At the resumed sitting on the case yesterday, Metuh’s lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, told the court that his client was hospitalised at the intensive care unit of the National Hospital in Abuja, even as he begged for the trial to be suspended for at least two weeks.
“My Lord, we humbly apply for an adjournment to enable the first defendant, who is currently on intensive care, go for his medications. We had to compel him to be physically present in court this morning,” Ikpeazu submitted.
Meanwhile, the application was not opposed by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.
“My Lord, the news is in the public domain that the first defendant is in intensive unit. We shall not be opposing the application,” Tahir stated. Consequently, Justice Abang adjourned the case till May 16 and 17.
Before adjourning the case, Justice Abang ordered frail-looking Metuh, who was present in court, to stand on his feet.
Though Metuh complied with the order, he, however, held his waist with both hands.
Source: Vanguard