ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to retract a press statement against Nicholas Ashinze, a former aide to Col Sambo Dasuki (retd.), before the trial can resume.
The judge made the declaration at the resumed trial of the case in Abuja on Thursday.
Kolawole, on March 21, stopped the trial pending the time EFCC retracts the statement issued by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren.
The EFCC statement had said the defendants were being tried over N36.8 billion fraud and referred to Ashinze as a retired military officer, while he was still a serving officer.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to EFCC, Mr. Ofem Uket, informed the court that the agency had retracted the statement, published in newspapers on April 12, and therefore urged the court to resume the trial since the court order had been complied with.
However, the defence counsel, led by Mr. Ernest Nwoye, said EFCC had not shown any evidence or placed any document before the court as proof of compliance.
The defence argued that since the court’s order was in writing and duly served EFCC, the prosecution must show respect by attaching necessary documents to show compliance.
The defence said in the absence of any documentary evidence, the court should not attach any seriousness to the oral evidence of the prosecution.
Ruling
In his ruling, Kolawole dismissed the oral submission of the prosecution since it failed to produce any document or evidence to prove its claim.
He said the prosecution counsel, as a minister in the temple of justice, had not shown any seriousness or done enough to protect the integrity of the judiciary from being unjustly rubbished.
According to Justice Kolawole, “EFCC must show compliance in the appropriate way with the retraction of the offending press statement it issued in respect of the proceeding of this court.”
He ordered that the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court must liaise with the Deputy Sheriff to ensure that the order of March 21 was served the Editor-in-Chief or the appropriate person from the national daily.
He said the relevant officer of the newspaper must come before the court on May 4 to show where it (newspaper) got the March 8 publication on the N36.8 billion fraud charge against the defendants. Kolawole said that his order of March 21 would remain in force until it had been fully complied with.
