Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama yesterday put off the scheduled testimony of former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim in the trial of Mrs. Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe, his accuser for alleged misinformation.
The police are prosecuting Mrs. Igwegbe for allegedly providing false information in a petition she wrote against Ohakim.
The prosecution was scheduled to open its case yesterday by calling the ex-governor as its first witness.
At the resumption of proceedings, lawyer to the prosecution, Mrs. Racheal Dimka, said the case was set down for the commencement of trial, and that the ex-governor was in court to testify as the first prosecution witness.
But Mrs. Dimka said she was served with a letter “purportedly written by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation to take over the case”.
She added that there was another letter from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) refuting the claim that the AGF had taken over the case.
Mrs. Dimka urged the court to discountenance both letters and allow the prosecution to proceed with its case.
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Justice Halilu also confirmed receiving the “two heavy letters: one from the AGF, saying he has taken over the case, and the other refuting the claim”.
The judge requested that the Office of the AGF, which was not represented in court, be made to explain the conflict created by the letters.
Lawyer to the defendant, Ifeanyi Nweze, explained that a similar scenario played out before the Federal High Court in Abuja in a similar criminal charge filed against Ohakim by the same police.
Nweze averred that although the police opposed the AGF’s move to take over the case, the court held that the AGF has an unfettered power to take over any case before judgment is pronounced.
Justice Halilu adjourned further hearing in the matter till December 8 to enable the police and the Office of the AGF to put their houses in order.
Mrs. Igwegbe had petitioned the police, accusing Ohakim of conspiracy, criminal intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping and threat to her life.
Based on their findings, the police subsequently charged Ohakim before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
But the same police went before the High Court of the FCT to file a charge against Mrs. Igwegbe, accusing her, among others, of indecent conduct and threatening Ohakim’s life.
Although the police later applied to discontinue the case against Ohakim, the Office of the AGF applied to take over the matter in an application which Justice Taiwo Taiwo granted in a recent ruling.