Trial of 20 ex-tanker drivers’ leaders stalled over defendant’s absence

For the second time this year, the trial of 20 former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for attempted murder, was stalled on Wednesday due to the absence of the 19th defendant, Adamu Ibrahim, said to be in custody at the Calabar Correctional Centre.

The former leaders of the union, including a one-time PTD National Chairman, Lucky Osesua, are being prosecuted in the suit, marked: FCT/HC/CR/042/2023, before Justice Yusuf Halilu, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, on a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of peace and assault.

The defendants were alleged to have attacked the NUPENG National President, Mr Williams Akporeha; the Union’s Secretary-General, Olawale Afolabi; and the new PTD National Chairman, Augustine Egbon, thus acting in a manner likely to cause their death, among other allegations against them.

Also charged with Osesua are Dayyabu Garga; Humble Obinna; Akinolu Olabisi; Godwin Nwaka; Tiamiu Sikiru; Abdulmimin Shaibu; and John Amajuoyi.

Others are Adamu Ibrahim; Zaira Aregbo; Patrick Erhivwor; Stephen Ogheneruemu; Gift Ukponku; Sunday Ezeocha; and seven others.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed hearing in the case today, the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that one of the defendants, Adamu Ibrahim, was not present in court.

The lead counsel for all the defendants, Christopher Oshemegie SAN, informed the court that Ibrahim was in custody at the correctional facility in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The senior counsel said he was told that the 19th defendant had a domestic issue due to ignorance of the environment, adding that Ibrahim’s bail was being sorted out in Calabar.

Responding to this, the prosecutor said there was a report that Ibrahim committed an offence in Calabar.

According to Kaswe, Ibrahim was said to have impregnated his teenage daughter, which was the main reason he (Ibrahim) was in custody.

Kaswe then told the court that the prosecution was ready to go on with the trial in the absence of the 19th defendant and urged the court to activate the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 to proceed with the case in Ibrahim’s absence.

Justice Halilu, however, said that the court noted that at the last sitting, Ibrahim was present in court, adding that the court was hearing for the first time about his (Ibrahim’s) alleged offence in Calabar.

The judge added that in the interest of justice, the 19th defendant should be given one last chance to appear before the court for the trial, failure of which the court would proceed with the matter in his absence.

Based on the agreement of parties, Justice Halilu subsequently adjourned the case to 19 May for a definite hearing.

On 27 January, when the matter came up last, the absence of the second prosecution witness (PW2), Williams Akporeha, who is NUPENG President, stalled the hearing. He was said to have been out of the country and was unable to be in court as a result of his flight delay due to bad weather.

Akporeha had on Wednesday, 23 October 2024, while testifying against the defendants, narrated before the court how attempts were made on his life and those of Afolabi and Egbon on 1 November 2023, declaring that he was afraid for his life.

According to him, while he narrowly escaped being lynched by the defendants, both Afolabi and Egbon were not that lucky as they were thoroughly dealt with by the defendants before the arrival of policemen from Utako Police Station.

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