The trial of Muhammed Momoh, who was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for attempting to defraud the Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Al-Makura, after posing as a “private investigator from the villa”, was stalled on Wednesday due to a change of counsel.

The prosecution team led by Benjamin Manji, had planned to present its first witness, Samaila Bello, but the defendant came to court with a new counsel.

Godwin Omagbogu, the new counsel informed Justice U.P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Apo, that he would need some time to go through the case file.

“I was informed by the defendant that he called his lawyer yesterday who said he is no longer interested in handling the matter and thereafter handed him the charge,” he said.

Manji did not oppose the oral application for an adjournment.

“The new defence counsel had met me before the court to inform me of the development and in the interest of justice, I will not be opposing the application,” he said.

Justice Kekemeke, thereafter, adjourned to May 3, 2018.

Momoh was arrested in a sting operation while trying to collect the sum of N2 million being part of N8 million which he had demanded from the Al-Makura’s wife as payment to help “kill” a purported investigation.