Money Laundering: Sen. Jonah Jang’s Trial Stall By Absence Of Leading Counsels.



By Giwa Alex, Jos



The High Court sitting in Jos,Plateau State has adjourned the trial of senator Jonah David Jang by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to a date to be communicate to the Parties.

This is to enable the leading counsels from both parties who were unavoidably absent ,the prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacob (SAN) counsel to (EFCC)and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) counsel to the 1st defendant to be physically present at the trial.

The trial of Senator Jonah Jang which was adjourned to 16th and 17th February,2021, is for hearing and presentation of witnesses was however stall by the conspicuous absence of the prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacob (SAN)represented by his junior lawyer Joefry Mathew counsel in court.

Barrister Mathew said” my Lord my principal who is the leading prosecuting counsel in this case has directed me to tell the court that he could not attend today’s trial because there is and urgent matter that needs his attention at the apex (appeal) court in Lagos Nigeria.

Armed with a letter from barrister Rotimi William (SAN) to the court, he said the leading prosecutor in the matter would have love to be personally attend today’s trial to cross examine the witnesses,but due to the appeal court matter his attention was needed there.

“As against this background my Lord ,my principal Chief Rotimi William has directed me to plead with the court for adjournment for a day convince to your lordship to enable him to be physically and personally present.” he maintained.

In a similar development,the the counsel to the 1st defendant led by the former Commissioner for information barrister Olivia Dazem apologize to the court on behalf of his leading counsel to Jonah David Jang Chief Mike Ozehomen (SAN) who is currently attending proceeding at the Appeal court in Lagos.

Mike Ozehomen(SAN)represented by barrister Olivia Dazyam apologize for the absence of the legal luminary Mike Ozehomen Which she said is not intentional , however aligned herself with the application of the prosecuting counsel for an adjournment subject to the convinence of the honorable court to enable the leading counsel attend the trial.
The other counsel to the defendants Sunny Odeh also aligned themselves to the application of the prosecuting counsel for adjournment to enable the two legal gants Rotimi and Ozehomen who are the leading counsels on the matter to be physically in attendance.

Barrister Odeh stressed the need for the leading counsel to start having confident on their juniors expecially when their principal are unavoidably not present in a particular matter.
The sitting judge, Justice Christine Dabup ,re-echo the need for leading counsels in a matter to continue having confident on the junior counsel which will not only enhance the speeding dispensation of justice,but will help in training and teaching the junior lawyers the basic principles of law.
The case was however adjourned to a later date to be communicated to the Parties.

It would be recall that the Former Governor of Plateau state is facing trial with 3 Others over money laundering amounting to over 62 billion Naira which is alledged to have been misappropriated during his administration as Governor of the state.
The former senator who was first Arraigned before Justice Longji in 2018 has been facing trial until December,2019 when he retired as judge and the case file reallocated to Justice Christine Dabup.
As legal customs the case started denovo(afresh) presently the case is in appreciated is in appreciable stage of calling witnesses.

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