Court orders AGF to pay N200,000 fine for truncating trial of Nnamdi Kanu’s co-defendants
Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has imposed a fine of N200, 000 on the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice for truncating the trial of four co-defendants of Nnamdi Kanu on treasonable felony charges.
The court ordered that each of the defendants be paid N50,000 by the AGF for the inconveniences they suffered as a result of the absence of the lead counsel to the federal government Mr Shuaib Magaji Labaran.
Justice Murtala-Nyako said the money must be paid to the defendants before the next adjourned date of March 17.
The four defendants are Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudike, Benjamin Maduagwu and David Nwaurusi.
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They had through their lawyers complained bitterly about hardships suffered to raise funds for their transportation to Abuja.
During the proceedings yesterday, no legal representation came for the federal government at the time the matter was called.
However, as the court was about to take adjournment, one Mrs Adewumi Aluko, from the federal ministry of justice came in apologized that the federal government’s lead counsel was out of the country.
She announced that two witnesses were in court but will not want to proceed in the absence of the lead counsel and sought an adjournment.
Her apology did not go down well with the Judge who counselled the federal government to be more serious in the trial of the defendants.
The Judge also extended similar counselling to the defence lawyers to stop using frivolous applications to delay the trial which was started in 2015.
Meanwhile, Justice Nyako has fixed March 17 for the resumption of the trial.
