The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has expressed concerns over the delay in the trial of the founder of Daar Communication Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
According to a statement by the anti-graft agency Wednesday, the proceedings which resumed on Tuesday, March 23, were stalled after Chika Odoemene, holding the brief of defense asked for an adjournment on the ground that their supreme witness was currently on admission at the hospital, adding that this made it impossible to continue their defense.
Dokpesi is being prosecuted before Justice John of Tsoho of the Federal High Court sitting on Abuja on the charges bordering around the diversion of N2.1 billion received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), called the attention of the Court to what he described as deliberate tricks by the defense to delay the trial.
Jacobs reminded the Court that the prosecution filed this matter in 2016, and 14 witnesses have been called to testify. He said that the defendant didn’t open his defense until January 21, 2020, after his no-case submission was rejected by Court.
The senior lawyer reminded the court that the “first defendant is still in the witness box, with evidence he started in 2020, which he has not concluded.
“My lord, the last adjourned date, which was December 8, 2020, the defense prayed for a long-adjourned date because of their supreme witness and my lord granted four months.
“My understanding of the provision of the law is that, until the defendant concludes his evidence-in-chief and cross examination, no other witness can be called by him”.
The prosecuting lawyer also added that six senior advocates have so far appeared for the defendant on the matter, “And five years after, he is still testifying; my lord the delay is enormous”, he lamented.
The concern of the prosecution was acknowledged by Justice Tsoho and asked the defense to conclude the testimony of the first defendant on the next adjourned date before making excuses for the witness who is yet to appear.
He then adjourned the trial till May 24 and 25, 2021.
