Press Release
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Aliyu Akwe Doma
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Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting
in Lafia, Nasarawa State, today December 1, 2014 dismissed an application
filed by Timothy Anthony Anjide, the second accused person in the ongoing trial
of Aliyu Akwe Doma, former governor of Narasawa State.
Doma, Anjide and Dauda Egwe are being prosecuted
on a 10 count-charge bordering on money laundering by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Anjide had approached the court, asking that the case be
re- assigned, alleging bias against her lordship.
At the resumed hearing today, the defence counsel,
Olalekan Ojo, who stood in for Charles Edosomwan, SAN, brought a notion on
notice for an order of the honourable court to transfer the case.
The defence
stated that there had been circumstances in the proceedings that suggest a
likelihood of bias by the judge. He stated that the judge has failed to
subpoena certain functionaries of the state, and that her lordship compelled
the second accused (Anjide Timothy) to appear before the court in spite of his
critical health condition. He argued that the second accused has lost
confidence of getting a fair trial before her lordship.
The prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the application. He stated that ‘the application does not show that the first and third accused have lost confidence in the court. It is only the second that is complaining’.
Pinheiro further stated that for a case of bias
against a judge to be established, there must be concrete evidence in support
of the charge. “It is not enough to say there is a suspicion of bias,
rather suspicion must be reasonable and looked from objective stand.”
The prosecution further said that the defence does not need a subpoena when it can apply for certified true copies of document.
According to Pinheiro, the cry of the applicant that
the subpoena applied for has been consistently turned down by the court is
premature and misconceived because the prosecution is yet to close its case
neither is it time for the accused persons to open their case.
In dismissing the application, Justice Okeke stated that the application for transfer of the case lacks merit.
The case was adjourned to January 19, 20 and 21 2014
for continuation of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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