By Danzumi Ishaku, Jalingo
The inability of the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to appear in court has compelled the Federal High Court judge sitting in Jalingo Taraba state, to adjourned ruling on the cases of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Taraba state to the 24th of this month.
Wondering why the EFCC refused to appear in court as well as failing to communicate reasons for its absence, the judge, Stephen Pam said the court is left with no option than to rule on the case come next week.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Taraba state, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi , along side with the former Minister of Labour and Productive, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya and the former speaker, Taraba state House of Assembly’ Mark Bako Useni have being standing trial for an offense ranging from conspiracy to illegal withdraw of funds without financial due processes.
While both Ikenya and Useni have being appearing before the court , Danladi as observed by The Guardian, has not for once deemed it fit to show up the situation which the counsels to Ikenya and Useni said is uncalled for.
Sad by the development , Counsels to the aforementioned defendants said ” when the case was last heard on the 5th of December 2018, the court adjoined the matter to today (January 15th) to enable the prosecution put his house in order for the matter to be heard.”
Visibly dejected that the EFCC counsel did communicate and give reason for the absence, the need for the court to go ahead and strike out the charges against Ikenya and Useni, the counsels unanimously greed have become necessary.
Describing the action of the EFCC as ” contempt to court” they felt dejected that ” no word emanated from the prosecution describing the move as ” sacred-religious and sanctity of the court.”
The counsels who both agreed that the ” prosecution has developed cold feet to continue the prosecution of this matter” also admonished the court to go ahead and ” sanction the EFCC.”
The court, in its last sitting had earlier promised to discontinue the case should the EFCC failed to produced the third defendant who is the APC gubernatorial candidate for the court.
