Posted by By Ise-Oluwa Ige on
AN Abuja high court trying former Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara and six others over allegation of demanding, receiving and sharing of N55million bribe yesterday said that it would rule, Friday, on a request by two of the accused persons in the matter, seeking for a separate and immediate trial in the case.
ABUJA - AN Abuja high court trying former Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara and six others over allegation of demanding, receiving and sharing of N55million bribe yesterday said that it would rule, Friday, on a request by two of the accused persons in the matter, seeking for a separate and immediate trial in the case.
The two accused persons asking for separate and immediate trial in the case are Senator John Azuta Mbata and Hon Dr Garba Sheu Matazu.
The duo of Mbata and Matazu disagreed with other five accused persons in the case over their quest to stop trial in the case until the Court of Appeal determine their appeal pending before the court.
Vanguard recalls that at the last adjourned date when trial was expected to commence in the matter, former Senate President, Chief Wabara and four others brought an application to stop the Abuja high court from further trying them until their appeal before a superior court was determined.
The appeal by Wabara and four others was meant to void a decision by the Abuja high court entered on November 10, last year, approving their trial over the N55million scam.
The four others are Senator Ibrahim Abdulazeez, Senator Emmanuel Okpede, Senator Badamasi Maccido and sacked Education Minister, Prof Fabian Osuji.
But Senator John Azuta Mbata and Honourable Dr Garba Sheu Matazu said the verdict by the Abuja high court approving their joint trial was okay and that they would not appeal it.
They also urged the court to give them a separate trial over the matter.
Alternatively, they asked for an order of the court discharging them in the event that the prosecution (the Federal Government) was insisting on a joint trial of all the accused persons in the matter.
Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) is representing the two legislators who wanted immediate trial in the case.
The opposing views by the accused persons over the verdict of the court which approved their joint trial stalled proceedings in the case.
The presiding judge had to direct the two legislators to file a written address on whether the court could stay proceedings in the joint trial of all the accused persons in the case in order to open trial in the same case against them
Yesterday (Tuesday) was fixed for the adoption of the written briefs in the matter.
The high court judge who listened to parties in the case expatiate on their briefs fixed Friday for ruling in the matter.
It would be recalled that six legislators including former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara were on April 12, 2005 arraigned before the Abuja high court for demanding and collecting N55million bribe from the sacked Education Minister, Prof Fabian Osuji for the passage of the 2005 budget of the Ministry of Education.
The five other legislators are Senator Ibrahim Abdulazeez, Senator John Azuta Mbata, Senator Emmanuel Okpede, Senator Badamasi Maccido and Hon Dr Garba Sheu Matazu.