The trial of six policemen accused of the murder of five auto spare parts dealers and their female companion in Abuja in 2005 suffered yet another setback on Thursday. 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.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the deceased, aged between 21 and 25 years, were returning from a night party in 2005 when they were killed by the policemen.
At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Ishaq Bello on Thursday, prosecution counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), said that all counsel in the matter met in the Judge’s chamber and agreed to an adjournment.
Uche told NAN that the case was adjourned because not all the prosecution witnesses were in court. “We had a conference in my lord's chamber and I told him that only two out of the three witnesses we intend to call are in court. “Remember at the last sitting, we agreed that we will take all the witnesses at once.
“It is unfortunate that not all of them came to court today,’’ he said. Uche told NAN that prosecution would produce all its witnesses unfailingly on Jan. 17, 2013. “My lord also agreed to give us an accelerated hearing of the case. “We agreed that we will come back on Tues. 17 and Wed. 18, Jan. 2013 dates for continuation of trial,’’ he said.
Uche said that the prosecution would present two pathologists and a policeman to testify. He said that the pathologists would testify as the 12th and 13th witnesses for the prosecution. It would be recalled that when the mater came up on Sept. 20, the late arrival in court of the five policemen stalled the hearing of the case.
On that date, as at 9 a.m. only Danjuma (first accused), who is on bail was in Court. Bello stood down the case from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. When Bello asked the prosecution counsel, Uche why the accused had not been brought to court from the Kuje prison, he attributed it to the problem of non-availability of fuel. (NAN)