TheCable

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court has barred the federal government from calling more witnesses in its false information case against Dino Melaye, the former senator representing Kogi west.

The federal government had instituted a three-count charge on the former senator for deliberately giving false information to the police about an assassination attempt on his life in 2017.

On Thursday, Olusegun Odubela, Melaye’s counsel, asked the court to close the case of the prosecution on grounds that they (prosecution) are not ready to move on with the trial.

He asked the court to adjourn the matter to enable him to file a “no-case-submission”.

“It is clear that the prosecution is not ready to move on with the trial,” he said.

“They have achieved what they wanted to achieve which is a media trial.”

His request was brought pursuant to section 36(4) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and section 396(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

Delivering her ruling in favour of the defendant, Olasumbo Goodluck, the judge said she ought to have struck out the case for “lack of diligent prosecution” but she was bound by the request of Melaye’s counsel.

She noted that the case has been adjourned severally at the instance of the prosecution.

Goodluck said she thought issuing a fine of N100,000 on the last adjourned date against the prosecution for stalling the trial would deter them from further delay.

She closed their case and fixed February 11, 2020, for Melaye to move his no-case-submission.