The proposed trial of the embattled chief registrar of Nigeria's Supreme Court, has again been stalled.
The News Agency of Nigeria has reported that the trial of the chief registrar of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, Ahmed Saleh, earlier scheduled to begin on Thursday has again been adjourned till February 7, 2017.
Thursdays’ adjournment was due to the absence of the third defendant, Rilwanu Lawal, in court.
Mr. Saleh was arraigned, alongside two others, Mohammed Sheriff and Mr. Lawal, on November 3 by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for alleged diversion of billions of naira.
According to the charge, the defendants are accused of diverting N2.2 billion belonging to the Supreme Court.
They were also accused of receiving gratification to the tune of N74.4 million from contractors working at the Supreme Court, between 2009 to 2016
Their arraignment was earlier scheduled to hold on November 17, but was postponed based on the inability of the second defendant, Mohammed Sheriff, to attend sitting on health grounds.
The trial judge, Abbah Mohammed, adjourned the matter till December 15, for the arraignment of the defendants.
On Thursday, however, a counsel to the third defendant, Illoh Sanusi, told the court that his client’s mother had been ill and he had gone to attend to her needs.
Mr. Sanusi said his client travelled to be with his ill mother in Gusau, Zamfara State, and prayed the court for an adjournment till February 7, 2016.
The prosecution counsel, Patrick Akuta, did not oppose the application for adjournment and as such, the matter was adjourned.