‘Dino gave false information to police implicating me in criminal activities’

Mr Edward Onoja, Chief of Staff to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, on
Wednesday alleged that Dino Melaye, gave false information to the
police implicating him in criminal activities.

Melaye , the Senator representing Kogi West, is charged with two
counts bordering on giving false information to the police.

Testifying in the case before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, Onoja
said Dino also told the police that he was the mastermind of an
assassination attempt on him.

Onoja being ed in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr
Shuaibu Labaran, said: “I got to know about the allegations against
me in a publication in an online medium, Sahara Reporters, by my
personal assistant.

`The defendant accused me of criminal activities, including
gunrunning, assassination attempt and orchestrating a grand plan to
bring the government I serve to its knees.”

While being cross-examined by Mr Olusegun Jolaawo, counsel for
Melaye, Onoja said that he only heard of an alleged attempt on
Melaye in his village in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi.

“The defendant alleged that those who went to kill him were
chanting Sai Edward, sai Taofik”.After his testimony,

After testifying, Jolaawo prayed the court for an adjournment to
enable the defence obtain some public documents to confront the
witness.

The Judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, ordered the defence to get
all necessary documents ready and adjourned the matter until Jan.14
and Jan. 28 for continuation of hearing.

NAN reports that in count one, the senator, was alleged to
sometime in April 2017, deliberately given false information to the
Police to frame Gov. Bello’s Chief of Staff.

He alleged that Onoja was the mastermind of the assassination
attempt on him.

In the second count, Melaye was alleged to have given false
statement of facts in a telephone conversation with Mr Mohammed
Abubakar.

The offence, the police said, contravened the provisions of
sections 140 and 393 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

Related