Agba Jalingo’s Trial Stalled On Technical Ground – TheNigerialawyer

The trial of journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo, on
Tuesday suffered a minor setback as the prosecution and defense
counsel could not come to terms on the processes filed.

Jalingo is facing trial on four count charges bordering on
treasonable felony, attempt to topple the Cross River State
Government and terrorism.

Jalingo had in July published an article where he asked Governor
Ben Ayade to come clean on the whereabouts of the N500m approved
and released for the floating of the Cross River Microfinance
bank.

The prosecution counsel, Mr Dennis Tarhemba, told the Federal
High Court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Simon
Amobeda, that he was served with another affidavit by the defense
and pleaded the court to take a short date for “us to look at the
content of this file”.

Tarhemba, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said he was served
at about 9:25am when the court had begun sitting.

The defense counsel, Mr James Ibor, in his argument submitted
that the prosecution lacked the right to “ask for another date
because we responded line-to-line to his affidavit which was filled
with lies”.

Upon resumption of sitting, Tarhemba argued on the need for
protection of witnesses while Ibor submitted that there was no
threat to the witnesses and called on the court to dismiss the
application of the prosecution.

Justice Amobeda after listening to the two counsels, adjourned
the trial until Wednesday.

The judge held that no matter where the ruling tilts to on the
next adjourned date, the actual trial will commence.