Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, yesterday expressed displeasure over the slow pace in the trial of a former lecturer in the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Dr. Afeez Baruwa.
He was alleged to have raped an 18-year-old girl seeking admission into the university.
Justice Oyefeso expressed indignation when told at the resumed trial of Dr. Baruwa that Mr. Y. G Oshoala, the state counsel that would continue with the prosecution of the defendant, was not in court and no reason was given for his absence.
The development stalled the commencement of the trial of Dr Baruwa.
He was scheduled to open his defence yesterday; a year after the prosecution had closed its case against the ex-UNILAG lecturer.
The judge, who noted that the trial had experienced a number of setbacks occasioned by absence of counsel, said she was not happy with the development, as the defendant had arrived the court at 9am with his defence team and was ready to give evidence.
At about 2:10pm when the case was to start, a state prosecutor, Mr. O. A Azeez, informed the judge that Mr. Oshoala, the lead Lagos State prosecutor, wanted to cross-examine Baruwa himself.
He said Oshoala was the counsel most familiar with the facts of the case, as he had been prosecuting the case since Baruwa was first arraigned over the alleged rape before the court.
Azeez said Oshoala left instructions that he wanted to cross-examine the defendant and asked for a short adjournment.
Responding, counsel to the defendant, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, said the lecturer is ready to give his defence whenever the state is ready.
He asked for assurance that trial would go on at the next adjourned date.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso expressed worry over the delay caused by the prosecution and reluctantly granted the request for an adjournment.
“Very reluctantly, I accept the proposal of the prosecution.
“This case is adjourned till March 14 for trial,” the judge said.
Before the prosecution closed its case against the former lecturer on January 23 last year, four prosecution witnesses had testified, including the complainant, her father, a doctor and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO).
Baruwa, a father of two and former part-time lecturer in the Department of Accounting, UNILAG, is facing a lone charge of rape.
The prosecution alleged that the ex-lecturer raped the complainant at 9:25am on July 23, 2015 in Room 8 at the Faculty of Business Administration annex building.
The father of the minor had sought Baruwa’s assistance to secure admission for his daughter into the institution.
The alleged rape occurred when she was in his office to make arrangements for her admission.
The UNILAG authority has since disclaimed Dr. Baruwa following the alleged incident.
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