By Adeyinka Adeniran
An Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan on Thursday adjourned the ongoing trial of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary to January 22, 2025.
Justice Bayo Taiwo presiding over Court 7 gave the ruling when the matter came up yesterday, following an earlier adjournment on Wednesday.
Thursday trial was abruptly adjourned after the Defence Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN raised an objection to the calling of a Police officer to give oral evidence on the matter.
The Nation reports that, as at Wednesday, the Prosecution led by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. S. O Adeoye had called seven witnesses who had given oral evidences.
Thursday proceeding was to continue with the calling of more witness out of the remaining nine witnesses listed to testify against the defendant (Auxiliary).
The day’s session saw the DPP calling his 8th witness, Mr Innocent Agede, a police Inspector attached to Command Monitoring Unit, Eleyele , Ibadan to give evidence.
But, Ojo objected the police witness, Inspector Agade from being led in evidence on the ground that he was yet to be served with witness summary of evidence.
He justified his argument with Section 380(ii)(iii) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Oyo state, 2016 stressing that he ought to have been served with the statement prior to the hearing.
He told that the summary of the statement of the witness called as well as copies of photographic compact disc and other materials that the Prosecution counsel want to use in support of the case were not served his team.
He noted that the information that was served his team did not include the summary of the police officer’s evidence, adding that the Prosecution counsel, Mr. Adeoye did not make the documents available to him and as such he cannot agree to having the witness give any evidence on the matter.
Giving his ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice Taiwo adjourned the case till January 22nd for further hearing before which the defence counsel would have been duly served all the required documents.
Recall that, the case which started at the Fiat Court 2, Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan presided over by Justice Bayo Taiwo has moved to Court 7 under the same Lordship.
Corenews reports that Auxiliary who was also a former Chairman of the State Disciplinary Committee of the Park Management System (PMS) is facing trial on 17 count charge bothering on armed robbery, murder, attempted murder, possession of firearm, including one AK-47 assault rifle, two SMG riffle with magazine.
The offence, according to the Prosecutor is contrary to any punishable under Section 1(2)(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, CAP RII, Vol.14, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The matter with suit number I/74c/2024: State Versus Mukaila Lamidi (Auxiliary) is before Justice Bayo Taiwo.
The Defendant was in court on Thursday.
The case is one of the ongoing trials of the former Oyo NURTW boss. The case bothers on offences allegedly committed on 29th of May, 2023 at about 2PM at the Ikolaba, Ibadan residence of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Corenews reports that the defendant (Auxiliary) had pleaded not guilty to 17 count charge read to him on November 27th, 2024.
The prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr S. O. Adeoye, had on November 27 opened trial by calling on some witnesses to give their oral testimonies.
