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Witness absent at trial of naval chiefs over missing ship
By Alex Olise and Emmanuel Badejo
APROSECUTION witness, Ordinary Seaman Jonah Afan, yesterday failed to turn up at the trial of three naval chiefs over the missing oil bunkering ship, MT African Pride.
Afan was to testify against his former superior officer, Rear Admiral Anthonio Bob-Manuel, Deputy Commandant, Command and Staff College, Jaji.
The lead prosecutor, Brigadier-Gen. Idada Ikponemwhem (rtd), called the witness to give testimony against Bob-Manuel in the two-count charge of "conduct to the prejudice of service discipline contrary to Section 103(1) of Armed Forces Act Cap A20 LFN."
The seven-man panel, led by Rear Admiral Joseph Ajayi, waited patiently until evening but the witness did not show up.
The prosecution made efforts to contact him on phone and he replied that he was on the way. But the seaman never showed up.
The trial was the start of individual charges with that of Rear Admiral Bob-Manuel, who is charged with "disobedience to particular orders contrary to Section 56(2) of the Armed Forces Act," coming first.
The three naval chiefs, former Chief of Training and Operations (CITOP), Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti, former Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samuel Kolawole and Rear Admiral Bob-Manuel, Deputy Commandant, Command and Staff College, Jaji, had been on joint trial on count one of conspiracy to commit felony in facilitating the disappearance of the ship.
Following the failure of the witness to show up yesterday, the court moved Bob-Manuel's case to tomorrow while charges against Kolawole will begin today by 9 a.m. at the same venue, 81 Division, Senior Officers' Mess.
At yesterday's sitting, the prosecution had attempted to bring a fresh charge of negligence of duty against Bob-Manuel, but his lead counsel, Mr. Bayo Ojo (SAN), objected.
The court sustained the objection.
Also, a Senior Manager, Shipping Terminal of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Richard Ajiboye, yesterday disclosed how the corporation sent an independent body to investigate and analyse the content of crude in the missing ship.
It was then discovered that the ship was left with 98 per cent water and only 2 per cent crude before its disappearance.
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