Daily Independent Online.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
NBA murder trial: Counsels agree out of court
By Okey Maduforo
Correspondent, Awka
The prosecuting and the defence counsels in the
murder of the Onitsha branch Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr
Barnabas Igwe, and his wife, Blessing, have agreed to withdraw an application
for stay of proceedings filed against the presiding judge, Mrs Cecelia Uzowulu.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Ikenna Egbunna, had in
the application said that the decision of the judge for an accelerated hearing
was not favourable to his client, adding that time should be given for him to
advance their case.
But counsel to one of the accused, a former
Commissioner for Works in Anambra State, Mr Tochukwu Owugbufor, contended that
Egbunna’s application was a ploy to annoy the presiding judge and also
cause delay in the trial of his client, whom he said has being in detention for
over one year now.
The counsels, after disagreeing in the court, later
met outside the courtroom and resolved that the case be heard twice a week;
Wednesdays and Thursdays, instead of thrice as ruled by the presiding judge.
Reacting to the development, the presiding judge
warned that the court could yet use its discretion to decide otherwise, in the
event of any need arising, which she said would demand a change in the
arrangement.
Uzowulu of the Aguata High Court Ekwulobia had warned
both counsels not to use frivolous motions and unwarranted applications to
delay the course of hearing, adding that she would like to dispense of the
matter on or before September when she would be going on leave.
Meanwhile, the judge had earlier ruled that due to
the inability of the prosecuting counsel to produce two of the 11 accused
persons who were granted bail by the Federal High Court Enugu despite the
issuance of a bench warrant, the court has to withdraw their names and continue
hearing on the remaining nine accused persons still in prison custody.
