The non-adoption of brief of argument at the Ado Ekiti Division of the Court of Appeal has stalled the trial of seven persons accused of complicity in the killing of a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti, Omolafe Aderiye.
The case could not go on at the Ekiti State High Court 6 on Monday as presiding judge, Justice Adekanye Ogunmoye, adjourned the case to December 19 pending the conclusion of hearing at the appellate court.
The accused persons are – Adebayo Aderiye, Adeniyi Adedipe, Oso Farotimi, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Durodola, Rotimi Olanbiwonnu and Sola Adenijo.
The 2nd accused person is the state leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), while the 1st and 6th accused persons are former state chairmen of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Prosecution counsel, M.T. Alaaya, told the court that there was a pending motion on the matter at the Court of Appeal, praying for adjournment of the case.
Defence counsel, Elijah Nworie, said the Appeal Court was yet to adopt the brief of argument of the parties pending before it hence the need for adjournment.
Justice Ogunmoye said his court could not go on with the matter when the Court of Appeal had not disposed of the motion filed there by the prosecution and subsequently adjourned the case to December 19.