The absence of a prosecution witness has stalled the trial of Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, at a Lagos High Court.
Al-Mustapha is standing trial along with three others for the attempted murder of the Publisher of the Guardian newspapers,Alex Ibru, at Falomo in Ikoyi, Lagos in 1996.
The other accused are James Danbaba, former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Col. Jubrin Yakubu, former Military Administrator of Zamfara and a Chief Superintendent of Police, Rabo Lawal.
The accused, who had been in detention since their arraignment in 1999, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The case, which had been handled by about three judges, is at present before Justice Mufutau Olookoba.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the prosecution could not produce its ninth witness,Felix Ogbaudu, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
The prosecution counsel,Oluyemi Ogungbesan, told the court that Ogbaudu could not attend the court because he was on another official assignment in Abuja.
Ogungbesan prayed the court to grant a short adjournment in the case.
The court had on July 31 adjourned the case till Aug. 10 for the conclusion of Ogbaudu’s evidence.
The defence counsel – Messrs Olalekan Ojo, Chukudi Nnakwe and Chima Ikegbule -- did not object to the application for adjournment.
The court consequently adjourned the case till Aug. 12 for continuation of evidence by Ogbaudu.
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