NAN-H-61
Compensation
By Veronica Dariya
Abuja, Dec.7, 2016 (NAN) An FCT High Court in Kubwa on Wednesday denied N20,000 compensation fee demanded by a plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr Stanley Nwodo, for the adjournment of an armed robbery case.
The defendants, Odinaka Shadrach and Moses Ishaya were charged with alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery.
The presiding judge, Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya, denied the compensation demanded by Nwodo based on the fact that the application for adjournment by one of the counsel to the defendants, Mr G.M. Chibuike, was due to ill health.
Ogbonnaya, in her ruling, said that gathering of witnesses incurs cost on any counsel and also consumes the much-needed time of the witness.
However, she said, when the health of any party involved in any proceeding was at stake, it was crucial to grant such an application based on compassionate grounds.
She then adjourned the matter to Dec.15 for continuation of hearing.
Earlier, Chibuike, counsel to the first defendant gave an oral application for the adjournment of the case as he could not cross examine a second witness brought by the plaintiff’s counsel because he was on medication and suddenly felt dizzy.
Also, counsel to the second defendant, Mr Shide Solomon, said he could not cross examine the witness before counsel to the first defendant and asked that the case be adjourned.
In his argument, Nwodo, counsel to the plaintiff said the application for the adjournment was a ploy to delay the proceedings as it was difficult to bring a witness to court.
He, however, said that if the other counsel insist on adjournment, it should be on the court’s record that the counsel paid him N20,000 to cover his cost. (NAN)
DVK/HA
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