The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday adjourned the
case of the embattled PDP spokesman, Mr Olisah Metuh,
till Oct. 27 and Oct. 31.
The judge, Justice Okon Abang, while announcing the new
date for the case at about 4:45 p.m said that the case had
to be adjourned because he would not have judicial time to
“The matter was adjourned on July 4 to July 7 for
continuation of trial at the instance of the parties but the
Federal Government declared July 7 as a public holiday.
“I directed my secretary to call all the parties in the matter
and inform them that the matter will be heard today. All
the parties are in court including the defence witness.
“I have no judicial time to take this matter as the court has
sat all day and the time is far spent.
“Today is the last day before the court’s vacation that will
be commencing on July 11 so the matter will be heard
after the vacation.”
Abang added that even though he was a vacation judge,
the matter could not be heard during the vacation except
with the consent of the parties.
Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Metuh,said his
team would prefer to rest during the vacation.
He said that they could not appear in court on July 7
because of the public holiday and that the day was already
far spent.
He said that they were willing to take a new date adding
that the parties were,however, willing to comply with the
directive of the court
But the prosecuting counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, said that
the prosecution was willing to continue the matter during
the vacation.
Tahir said that the argument that the case could not hold
on July 7, which was the actual date it was adjourned to
and so should be adjourned again, was not tenable.
“If a farmer was to go to the farm yesterday and it rained
that won’t stop him from going to the farm the next day.
“Even though the court has been sitting all day, the
defendants have expressed their desire to go on with the
case.
“So, saying that because the matter was not heard on the
actual day it was adjourned to because of the public
holiday and so it should not go on today is not a good
reason.”
Mr Tochukwu Onwubufo (SAN), a member of the defence
team swiftly asked the court to discountenance the farmer
argument canvassed by Tahir as to why the matter should
not be adjourned.
Onwubufo said this was because the farmer was not bound
by rules while the court had rules regulating its conduct.
“This farmer logic does not apply here as this court is
guided by rules and regulations and so it is wrong to tell
the court to disregard the point that July 7 was a public
holiday.
“The declaration of the public holiday was a statement
recognised by law,” he said.
Abang adjourned the matter till Oct. 27 and Oct. 30 for
continuation of hearing of the defence’s case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court
would commence its vacation on July 11 to Sept. 12.
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