THE Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, refused to grant the
application brought before it by the Federal Government that its witnesses
should wear mask while giving testimony in the terrorism charge slammed against
a Kogi State university lecturer, Dr Nazeef Mohammed Yunus and two others by
the Federal Government.
The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, while ruling on the
application said the court did not have that constitutional power to shield
witnesses completely from the court staff.
The judge said: “The prosecution’s motion of May 2 is, hereby, refused”
and adjourned till June 9 for trial.
The Federal Government had, at previous sitting, failed in its efforts
for secret trial of the accused persons, who were currently facing trial for
allegedly sponsoring the deadly activities of the Boko Haram sect.
Ruling on the Federal Government’s application for secret trial, Justice
Kolawole said: “I shall not shut down the entire court room, but shall make
adequate provisions to shield the identities of the witnesses, including
personal securities for those of their families need to be concealed from the
general public,” he assured.
In a another development, a Federal High Court sitting before Justice
Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, has refused an application by a former Managing Director
of the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Mrs Cecilia Ibru, seeking a preservative order
restraining the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) from tampering
with her property pending the hearing of her suit to recover assets she
forfeited upon her conviction in 2010.
Ibru had, through her lawyer, Mr Ade Okeanya-Inneh, asked the court for
a preservative order, an application, which was opposed by the counsel
representing AMCOM, Mr Ademuyiwa Balogun.
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