By Ibrahim Imam, Kaduna.
The trial of a former Governor of Gombe State, Mr. Danjuma Goje, continued today before Justice B.O Quadri of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State, with the lead defence counsel, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN cross examining a prosecution witness, Mr. Solomon Okotie, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, on some of the exhibits tendered by the prosecution.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), said the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Wahab Shittu, however, objected to the defence’s line of questioning, accusing him “of abandoning the substance of the charge and preoccupying himself with matters peripheral.”
According to Shittu, “The defence counsel is just a campaigner because he never addressed the charges against the accused person. He based his questions to the witness, on issues that did not relate to the charges against the accused.”
The defence counsel, however, said his questions were predicated on the documents tendered before the court by the EFCC.
The former governor, Danjuma Goje, who is standing trial alongside three others, is being prosecuted by the EFCC over allegations of mismanagement and diversion of over N52 billion state funds.
The court adjourned the matter to April 28 and 29 for continuation of trial.
