Absence of witnesses stalls trial of Jonathan’s cousin

ABUJA— Failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to produce its witnesses in court, yesterday, stalled trial of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, and his wife, Stella. The duo are answering to a seven-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against them before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The defendants are facing trial over alleged $40 million contract scam. At the resumed sitting on the case, EFCC lawyer, Mr. Francis Jirbo, told trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba that the prosecution was having difficulties calling witnesses in the order it intended. Jirbo pleaded the court to grant the anti-graft agency one more indulgence to enable it get the witnesses. At the resumed sitting, yesterday, Justice Dimgba queried why the prosecution failed to produce the three operatives to give their testimonies while it awaited the other witnesses. Jirbo insisted that calling the operatives at this stage of the trial would disrupt the sequence with which the prosecution wished to conduct its case. The judge thereby adjourned the case till April 27 for continuation of trial.