Proceedings were stalled on Monday, March 13, 2017 in the trial of a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola and others due to the failure of the prosecution to present its witness.
A similar scenario played out on January 30 when the case last came up.
Azibaola, his wife, Stella and their firm, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited are standing trial on a seven-count charge of money laundering before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
They are accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of unlawfully receiving about $40million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
The accused persons however denied the allegations.
When the case was called on Monday, lead prosecution lawyer, Francis Jirbo, told the court that the prosecution was having difficulties calling witnesses in the order the prosecution intended.
Jirbo, who sought the court’s indulgence to enable the prosecution explore efforts to produce its other witnesses, said it (the prosecution) will resort to the court for the necessary orders should its efforts fail.
“My lord, we seek the court’s indulgence to enable the prosecution make the last independent efforts to get its witnesses to court in the manner and sequence it intended,” Jirbo said.
When asked by the judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, the nature of the witnesses, Jirbo said three of the six remaining witnesses the prosecution intends to call were from outside the EFCC, while the other three were operatives of the EFCC.
