The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Samuel Afolayan, will Tuesday next week appear before the military court trying three Naval officers to give evidence on the involvement of the officers just as it was revealed yesterday that the missing oil bunkering vessel was worth N308 million as at the time of its disappearance.
Defence counsel for the senior Naval Officers standing trial over the missing vessel had during the proceedings last Friday insisted that the Chief of Naval Staff be brought before the military court to give evidence on the involvement of the accused officers.
Counsel to Rear Admiral Antonio Bob-Manuel, Colonel Bello Fadile (rtd), who was standing in for Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), had insisted that Admiral Afolayan remains a vital witness for the resolution of the case and it was agreed that the naval chief would testify on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 and Wednesday, December 8, 2004, when the counsel for Admirals Bob-Manuel and Kolawole are expected to open their defence.
Also listed as witness were the Register of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Sampson Oke, the Naval Secretary, Rear Admiral A.R. Adesokan and the Commanding Officer NNS Nwamba, Captain Joe Aikomu. Captains O.C. Medani and Harry Ngonadi were also named as witnesses along side Commanders I.E. Usman, Michael Ebe and T.O. Ikoli of the Western Naval Command.
Testifying before the court yesterday, the last prosecution witness, Engineer Alexander Peters told the court that the missing vessel M.T. African Pride was worth N308 million ($2.2million) as at the time of it’s disappearance and that he saw the vessel last two years ago. He however expressed shock when the defense counsel to Admiral Kolawole, Rear Admiral Boniface Amusu confronted him with the fact that there are four vessels within the Nigerian territorial waters with the name M.T. African pride.
Highlight of yesterday’s proceedings was the closure of their case by the prosecution in which 18 witnesses were led in evidence by the lead prosecutor, Brigadier-General Don Ikponwem (rtd).
Earlier, a new charge of negligent performance of military duty contrary to section 62(b) Armed Forces Act A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 against Rear Admiral Antonio bob Manuel was presented by the prosecution.
![[Image]](http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/..\..\..\images\vlogo.gif){kind=small}
