A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned untill Oct. 15, the trial of former Governor of Benue, Gabriel Suswam for alleged financial misappropriation.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the matter following an application from the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.
Earlier, Jacobs asked for an adjournment on grounds that the exhibits for the case had been renumbered following the transfer of the matter from Justice Okon Abang back to Justice Mohammed.
The senior lawyer said that the prosecution needed some time to do some house keeping in order not to have hitches in the cause of the trial.
He also said that the prosecution would not be calling some witnesses who were called in the previous court and some witnesses who were not called would be called, hence the need to renumber the exhibits to have neat records.
Mr Joseph Daudu, said that asking for an adjournment was against the spirit of the accelerated hearing ordered by the Court of Appeal.
He, however, conceded to an adjournment but asked the court to adjourn until the earliest possible date.
Justice Mohammed, in a short ruling held that although the appellate court had ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter, since counsel had agreed to an adjournment, it was in the interest of justice to adjourn the matter.
Suswam, a serving senator and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Oklobia are standing trial on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion.
They allegedly diverted proceeds of the sale of shares owned by Benue Government and Benue Investment and PropertyCompany Limited.
