Alleged Forgery: FG trims counts against journalists

Nnamdi Felix / Abuja

Nigeria’s Federal government on Tuesday intensified effort in the trial of Leadership newspapers’ journalists as it enlisted the services of a senior advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, to prosecute the journalists on an amended charge.

The amended charge was reduced to six counts from the initial ten counts. Filing of the amended charge consequently stalled the arraignment of the journalists who were charged with forging a presidential directive.

Group news editor, Mr. Tony Amokeodo and Political reporter, Mr. Chibuzor Ukaibe, were expected to be arraigned Tuesday on the initial ten count charge, but when the matter came up, Chief Awomolo told the court that he has filed a further amended charge of 6-counts dated April 22, 2013.

Leadership Newspapers on their part has also strengthened its defence as it has enlisted the services of a senior advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, to defend the company and her employees.

Following a “no objection” by the journalists’ lawyer, Femi Falana, the presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, granted the withdrawal of the 10-count charge and replaced same with the further amended six-count charge.

Awomolo informed the court that he had served the amended charge on the accused persons alongside the proof of evidence, list of witnesses, list of exhibits and statement of witnesses for the journalists, as well as Leadership Newspapers Group

Awomolo’s request for the journalists to take their pleas was stoutly opposed by Falana who argued that the case is not ripe for arraignment because the amended charge was served on his clients inside the court premises minutes before the resumption of the case.

He further argued that the proof of evidence before the court is incomplete as the statement of prosecution witness is not attached. There is also a list of exhibits to be tendered. Other documents not attached, according to Falana, include the report of the analyst witness and the report of the police.

“Since the prosecution in compliance with an order of this court filed a proof of evidence, the accused persons are entitled to all the statements of the prosecution witnesses and all the exhibits to be tendered by the police. Importantly, the handwritten report of the analyst. What is before the court does not meet the requirement of section 36(6)(b) of the constitution, which stipulates that an accused person should be given adequate time and facilities to enable him prepare his defence”.

The court, after hearing the senior lawyers, further released the journalists to the Newspaper’s Legal Adviser, Mr. Jibril Umar and ordered him to produce them on the next adjourned date of April 30, 2013.