Judge explains why he’s still handling Suswam’s case
NAN-H-108
Suswam
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2017 (NAN) Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court has explained his continuous involvement in the case of former Benue governor, Gabriel Suswam after he withdrew from the case in June 2016.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Mohammed said that his decision to continue followed the plea of both the prosecuting and defence counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and Joseph Daudu (SAN), respectively.
He said both counsel met with Justice Ibrahim Auta, the Chief Judge of the court, and pleaded that “I should continue with the trial because they had confidence that I would do justice in the matter”.
Hearing in the matter could not, however, proceed as the lead prosecutor, Jacobs was not in court.
A counsel from the prosecution team, Mr Henry Ejiga, said that the prosecution did not expect the court to sit since the judge had been involved in an accident.
The judge adjourned hearing in the case till Feb. 20.
Mohammed had on June 6, 2016, washed his hands off the case following a report from an online publication.
In the report, the judge was alleged to be compromised by Suswam and his co-defendant to give judgment in their favour.
Jacobs and Daudu, however, urged the judge to disregard and discountenance the publication and proceed with the trial.
Jacobs had noted that no court had been spared by the said media organisation, saying “the same source had claimed that I collected money from a person I am prosecuting”.
For his part, Daudu said “I urge you not to take anything published by the online media seriously; I also found at least 10 lies published against me by the organisation.”
Suswam and his former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Omadachi Oklobia, are standing trial for allegedly diverting about N3.1 billion belonging to the Benue State government.
They are also being tried for alleged money laundering and breach of public trust while in office. (NAN)
WS/HAS/OFN
Edited By Hajia Sani//Felix Nwadioha