‘Fraud’: Court adjourns for Dokpesi to present documents

TRACKING____The Federal High Court, Abuja has adjourned the trial of Chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications PLC, Raymond Dokpesi, till May 14 to enable him produce more documents in his defence.

At the resumed trial yesterday, counsel to Dokpesi, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him subpoena documents from the presidency and some ministries.

Ozekhome told the court that they had previously written letters to the concerned offices, but they failed to honour the letters.

He said that following their failure to respond to their letters, they had to subpoena them in order to get the certified true copies of the documents he needed to defend his client.

He named the offices to include the Presidency, Ministry of Information and Culture and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation among others.

Opposing the application for an adjournment, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, said that no sufficient reason had been given for an adjournment.

Jacobs added that, moreover, if such documents were really important in the defendant’s defence, the defence team should subpoena them or summon the offices to give evidence.

He urged the court to refuse the application for adjournment, saying no injustice would be done if the defendant gave his evidence and the prosecution cross-examined him.

The trial judge, Justice John Tsoho, adjourned the matter till May 14 and 15 to enable the defendant acquire the certified true copies of the documents to aid him in defending his case.