A Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Friday deferred the trial of Yanusa Dahiru, the alleged abductor of 14-year-old-girl, Ese Oruru, till Sept. 13.

The trial judge, Justice Aliya Nganjiwa, adjourned the matter due to the absence of the new lead defence counsel in the court.Yanusa is standing a five count charge of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, Ese Oruru.

At the resumed hearing in the court on Friday, Mr Abdul Mohamed, who appeared for the Defence Counsel brought to the notice of the court, the absence of the new lead defence counsel.
Mohamed explained to the court that the new lead defence counsel was absent due to illness.
He appealed to the court to adjourn the matter and expressed hope that the new defence counsel would get better before the next hearing.

“My lord, our senior partner from Kano, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who will lead the team is ill and he has asked the court to take cognizance of his health,” he said.

Following Mohamed’s submission, Justice Aliya Nganjiwa adjourned the case till Sept. 13 for definite trial, stressing that the adjournment would be the last for the defence counsel.
“Meanwhile, Yanusa, the accused, will remand in prison custody,” Nganjiwa said.

The prosecution counsel, Mr James Amate, who spoke with NAN, decried the series of adjournment in the matter and urged the court not to entertain more adjournments from the defence team.

“We are not happy over the series of adjournment; of course, catering for the principal witness, who is in Police protective custody is biting on us. The defence counsel have said that they are bringing a new lawyer, a SAN to lead their team but we are not happy that this adjournment is coming the way is going,” he said.

•Photo shows Yanusa Dahiru.