The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned trial of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, to March 11.
The trial which is in respect of amended charges of treasonable felony and conspiracy was again stalled by the inability of the prosecution to furnish the court with the evidence it intended to use to substantiate his alleagtions.
The defendants were rearraigned on Thursday but could not proceed to trial as scheduled on the basis that the prosecution had yet to serve the defence copies of the electronic video CDs it intended to rely on.
The judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who explained that she had long issued the order for the service of the materials on the defendants, however, granted the prosecution’s request for two weeks grace to collate the materials and have them served to the defence.
The prosecuting counsel from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Aminu Alilu, while responding to the request for the VCDs by defence counsel, Mr Abdul Mahmud, said the AGF which newly took over the case from the Department of State Services was not aware of the court’s order for the service of the materials on the defence.
He promised the court that the prosecution was much ready for the case and would present its witnesses within four days.
The judge fixed March 11 to 13 for trial.