By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria – There was anger on Monday, February 7, at Court 5 Federal High Court Maitama Abuja, after Justice Binta Nyako once again adjourned the Federal Government versus Olanrewaju Suraju matter to February 18th 2022.
The Federal government filed four counts against Olanrewaju Suraj, chairman of HEDA, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/370/2021, ‘accusing Suraju of using his social media handle as well as emails and audio interviews to circulate false information an Adoke’.
Mohammed Adoke was appointed Attorney General of Nigeria and Minister of Justice on 6 April 2010. The suit against Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj was filed through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The signal that the prosecution appeared to be pussyfooting from going ahead with the trial of Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju was that after announcing her presence as prosecuting counsel for the Federal government, YA Cole asked for another adjournment.
“My Lord, we have provided proof of evidence as requested by this court, and have gone on to file a counter preliminary objection in this matter.
We are however constrained to plead with your Lordship for an adjournment. Just three days before now, the Director of Public Prosecutions requested for a review of the case.
Consequently, we ask for a short adjournment for a chance for him to properly review this case.” YA Cole said.
But Dr. Miuz Banire, SAN, counsel for the defendant opposed the plea for an adjournment of the case, and insisted that Mr. Olanrewaju be allowed to take his plea.
“We don’t live in Abuja my Lord. For every adjournment that the prosecuting counsels make and are granted, it is my client who suffers the most. He has to fly in from Lagos, pay for hotel and other unwarranted expenses.
“If the prosecuting side is not ready my Lord, we make a plea for this case to be struck out until they are ready,” Dr. Banire said in his argument.
Before granting the request for a one-week adjournment for a review of the case filed by the director of prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice, Presiding Judge Binta Nyako told the prosecuting counsel that there will be no more adjournments of the matter.
“If you ask me for one more adjournment over this matter, I’ll strike out this matter,” Justice Nyako warned the prosecuting counsel.
Speaking with Alltimepost.com after the adjournment of the case to the 18th February 2022, Dr. Banire said that the incessant requests by the prosecution were unacceptable.
“We are not averse to being thorough but our client lives in Lagos, and therefore frivolous requests for adjournment by the prosecution is not in our interest,” Dr. Banire said.
Some lawyers at the premises of the Federal High Court who did not want us to mention their names mentioned told Alltimepost.com that it is either that the prosecution does not have a shred of evidence against Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj, or that it seeks to punish him through loopholes in the legal system, and therefore do havoc to his finances.
We sought the view of the director of public prosecutions at the Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
His assistants told us he was not in his office and would get back to us to make a statement. At the time of filing this story however, the DPP had not reached out to Alltimepost.com.
