The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja headed by Justice Okon Abang has refused to suspend the trial of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, to allow the detained former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who was summoned to testify as a witness in the trial, to refresh his memory.
Reference: Dasuki had earlier said he would not be able to testify due to memory loss.
Following his insistence that he could not give evidence on the matter until he was allowed to consult his personal files, Metuh, through his lawyer, Emeka Etiaba, begged the court for an adjournment of the trial to enable the subpoenaed witness to have access to his records.
Now happening: In his ruling on Friday, Justice Abang dismissed the request which he said lacked merit. Justice Abang said he could not adjourn the trial for Dasuki to consult his personal documents that are not in evidence before the court. He said it was for Metuh’s lawyer to use his professional skill to ask Dasuki relevant questions that will elicit answers favourable to the case of his client.
The Judge said he had watched Dasuki’s demeanour in the witness box, saying he appeared “composed and relaxed”.
He said Metuh’s lawyer was at liberty to ask the witness questions based on the proof evidence already before the court, stressing that Dasuki’s answers would constitute his evidence in the trial.
The court said Dasuki could elect not to answer questions posed to him as he would be cross-examined by the prosecution based on his testimony with respect to the charge against the defendants.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
Absolutely correct ! If he (Dasuki) cannot testify at the court on less he realese that means he didn’t paid for a job claimed done by metu .