AYO ESAN
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, bemoaned the delay in the corruption trial of Raymond Dokpesi, founder of Daar Communications Plc.
Dokpesi is being prosecuted before John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja for the alleged diversion of N2.1billion received from the office of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, proceedings were stalled after Chika Odoemene, holding the brief of defence asked for an adjournment on the ground that their supreme witness was currently on admission in a hospital, which made it impossible to continue their defence,
In response, prosecuting Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, called the Court’s attention to what he called deliberate tricks by the defence to delay trial.
He reminded the Court that the prosecution filed this matter since 2016, after which 14 witnesses had been called to testify. He said the defendant didn’t open his defence until January 21, 2020, after his no case submission was rejected by the Court.
The learned silk reminded the court that the “first defendant is still in the witness box, with evidence he started in 2020, which he has not concluded.”
He said, “My lord, the last adjourned date, which was December 8, 2020, the defence prayed for a long adjourned date because of their supreme witness and my lord granted four months.
“My understanding of the provision of the law is that, until the defendant concludes his evidence-in-chief and cross examination, no other witness can be called by him.”
Jacobs also added that six senior advocates had so far appeared for the defendant in this matter.
“And five years after, he is still testifying; my lord the delay is enormous,” he lamented.
Justice Tsoho acknowledged the concern of the prosecution and asked the defence to conclude the testimony of the first defendant on the next adjourned date before making excuses for a witness who had yet to appear.
He adjourned the trial till May 24 and 25, 2021.
