Posted by By OLA AGBAJE on
A new drama was introduced into the ongoing trial of the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Ishaya Rizi Bamayi, and four others as one of the accused, Major Hamza Al - Mustapha, was reported to have shunned the court.
A new drama was introduced into the ongoing trial of the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Ishaya Rizi Bamayi, and four others as one of the accused, Major Hamza Al - Mustapha, was reported to have shunned the court.
Bamayi, Mustapha, James Danbaba, Col. Bala Jubrin Yakubu and Rabo Lawal are being tried for their alleged role in the February 1996 attempt on the life of The Guardian publisher, Alex Ibru.
The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs. Bola Ighile, told the court that the former CSO to the late General Sani Abacha defied his custodian, the Directorate of Military Intelligence( DMI) that he was not going to court and refused to board the bus that was provided for his transportation to the court.
According to the DPP, 'I have spoke to the authorities on Al - Mustapha; he refused to come to the court. The authorities provided vehicle for him, he refused to enter it."
The presiding judge, Olubunmi Oyewole, thereafter sought to confirm the information from Al - Mustapha's lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, who denied any knowledge of the incident, and expressed surprise at the development.
According to Ojo, 'We were together at the Federal High Court on Friday and we both agreed to meet today in court, up till this moment, I don't have any information as to why he is not in court and I cannot confirm what the DPP has said."
Justice Oyewole ordered the two counsels to go and ascertain the true position of things and make sure that the former CSO appeared in court on the next trial day. He then adjourned the matter to the 30th and 31st of October, 2007.
However, a few minutes after the proceedings, Mustapha surfaced in court. In a brief chart with journalists, he expressed displeasure at the trial and his continued incarceration.
'I don't have the intention of coming to court today but I latter changed my mind so that I would have the opportunity to express my disappointment with the ongoing trial and the entire judiciary," Mustapha said.