Igwe Murder Trial Stalled Again
From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka
For the fifth time, the inability of the prosecution to produce witnesses in the trial of suspects alleged to have murdered the former chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Onitsha chapter, Mr Barnabas Igwe, has again stalled proceedings.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr E.D Chukwuma told an Aguata High Court presided over by Justice Cecila Uzowulu on Thursday that efforts to bring his witnesses failed.
Chukwuma said that he had sent Mr Vincent Igwe, prosecuting witness 1and a younger brother to the late NBA boss to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital to bring one Dr. J.U Aligbe, the medical doctor who allegedly conducted an autopsy on the deceased to court but was informed that he (Aligbe) was out of town.
He further told the court that the efforts made to summon another prosecuting witness, Mr Godwin Ogbuagu, a police officer to give evidence suffered a set back as he was said to have travelled out of town for a special investigative duty.
He orally applied for adjournment till Wednesday next week.
But counsels to the first,second and third acussed persons in the trial, Mr B.S.Nwankwo, Mr B.S.C Nnakaenyi and Mr. Emeka Okuma prayed the court to refuse the application for adjournment adding that the application was a delibrate ploy to delay trial of their clients who had been in prison custody for 17 months.
The counsels argued that the prosecution did not go through the proper means to summon his witnesses and that out of 18 witnesses in the matter, the prosecution could only explain efforts to bring two to court.
They expressed dissatisfaction that only three prosecuting witnesses had given evidence in the matter since the case was taken over by Justice Uzowulu in April.
They informed the court that most of the witnesses reside in Awka stone throw from Aguata and wondered why the prosecution could not produce them to give evidence.
In her ruling, Justice Uzowulu refused the application for adjournment and asked the prosecution to put in the witness box his witness,but the prosecution pleaded for pardon and mercy of the court.
Uzowulu said that the inability of the prosecution to produce prosecuting witnesses for the trial was deliberate and in bad faith.
She said that her court was tired of laxities on the side of the prosecution and warned that subsequently, adjurnment will not be granted. This, she said was because 11 lawyers were earlier granted the fiat to prosecute the matter.
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