The trial of six policemen accused of killing five auto spare parts dealers and their female companion in Abuja suffered another setback on Wednesday.
Those standing trial are DCP Danjuma Ibrahim, ASP Othman Abdulsalami (still at large), Constables Nicholas Zacharia, Emmanuel Baba, Emmanuel Acheneje and Sadiq Salami.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is accusing the policemen of killing Ifeanyi Ozo, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwokike and Tina Arebun, while they were returning home from a night party in 2005.
The deceased were aged between 21 and 25.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday before Justice Ishaq Bello, the prosecution counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), informed the judge that counsel to the the fifth accused (Acheneje), Mr Dauda Hassan, was not in court.
He said that since the case was a criminal offence, it would be in the interest of justice for Acheneje's counsel to be in court.
Uche also said that the prosecution could not go on with its witness testimony because the medical doctor, Dr Mathew Mogabo, summoned to testify, was no longer an employee of the Asokoro General Hospital.
“We are in a predicament my Lord.
“While the fifth accused counsel is not in court, the prosecution also wishes to inform the court that our earlier summoned witness, Dr Mogaba, who certified the death of the victims at the Asokoro General Hospital, had disengaged from the services of the hospital.
“We are trying to get a subpoena to call another competent medical doctor from the same hospital to present the same report which was compiled by Dr Mogabo on the autopsy conducted on the victims.
“In view of this, we shall be applying for an adjournment to enable us get another doctor to present the report of the autopsy in court.’’
Counsel to the first accused (Danjuma), Mr Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, did not object to the application for an adjournment.
Also, counsel to the third accused (Zacharia), Mr Ibrahim Tola did not object.
Mr Anthony Agbolahan, counsel to the fourth accused (Baba), who did not oppose the application for adjournment, said that granting of the same would be in the interest of justice.
Also contributing, Mr Peter Agbalaka, counsel to the sixth accused (Salami), prayed the court to grant the adjournment.
In a ruling, Justice Bello adjourned continuation of hearing of the case to Tuesday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 4.
He said that the adjournment was granted to enable the fifth accused (Aceheje)'s counsel to be present during the prosecution's witness testimonies.
Bello also said that the adjournment was granted to enable the prosecution to get clearance for another medical doctor from the Asokoro General Hospital to present an autopsy report carried out by Dr Mogabo. (NAN)