A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Tuesday, adjourned till June 11 to rule on an application seeking to stop further hearing on the money laundering charge the Federal Government preferred against the Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Mr. Dickson Akor.
Akor is being prosecuted on an amended 13-count charge of alleged involvement in N1.4 billion recruitment scam.
The Incorporated Trustees of the Corps is the second defendant in the charge.
The defendants were accused of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other fraud related Offences Act, Cap A6 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
At the resumed hearing in the case, the defendants, through their lawyer, Mr. John Ochogwu, applied for the trial to be adjourned sine-die (indefinitely) pending compliance to an order the court made on January 16, which directed the Nigerian Police Force to unseal the National Headquarters of the Corps in Abuja.
Ochogwu told the court that Police had continued to lay siege to the Peace Corps head office in disobedience to two court orders and a directive from the National Assembly.
He argued that section 287 of the 1999 constitution imbued the court with powers to enforce its orders, insisting that action of the security agents amounted to a direct affront on authority of the court.
“It is a sad reminder of the dark days of military rule. My lord, the office of the defendants has been under seal and lock. This is a year and two months now since the arraignment. Some of the facilities needed for their defence are still under lock by the complainant.
“The defendants are thoroughly disadvantaged. There is no how the matter will proceed without the defendants being allowed facilities to prepare their defence.”
However, in its five-paragraphed counter-affidavit, FG maintained that section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, prohibited the court from staying proceedings in a criminal trial.
After he had listened to both parties, trial Justice John Tsoho adjourned to rule on the matter.
