Offa robbery: Absence of defence counsel stalls continuation of the ​trial

Presiding judge of the Ilorin High Court, Justice Halima Saleeman, has adjourned hearing in the trial of five accused persons in the April 5, 2018, Offa bank robbery case till March 14 and 15, 2019.
The hearing, which was slated to hold between February 19 and 20, 2019, was stalled due to the absence of the defence counsel, Mathias Emeribe. The accused persons standing trial, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran, were all brought to court yesterday.

The prosecution counsel, Wahab Egbewole, who announced the absence of the defence counsel in court yesterday, said that Emeribe called and sent a text message to him on what he described as “life-threatening experience on the road” and suggested an adjournment, which the court reluctantly agreed to.
Speaking with journalists after the court sitting, Egbewole said that the defence counsel called him on Sunday and also sent a text message to him yesterday that he could not be in court and suggested a date after the national elections.

“This is just to to show on the part of the prosecution that we have arranged our witnesses because we have them here from Plateau and Zamfara states, to ensure that the matter proceeds. But here we are,” he said.
The judge, who expressed disappointment over the absence of the defence counsel in court, said that the prosecution should have asked for details of the “life-threatening experience” of the defence counsel.

“Does it mean that he won’t step out of his room till after the national elections? I can’t fathom this excuse and explanation, for someone to sit in the comfort of his house and be sending text messages. This court is only interested in timely disposition of the matter and any delay could put the court in jeopardy,” she said.