Metro
Drag sick ex-NBC DG to court even if it’s on a stretcher, court orders
Justice F.O Giwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered that the sick Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Modibbo Kawu, facing money laundering charge, be brought to court by all means on April 17, 2019 for his trial.
The court insisted that he should be brought to court on a stretcher from the hospital where he was said to be receiving treatment.
Justice Giwa gave the order after the lawyer to the accused, A.A Mustapha informed the Court that his client was on admission at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Kawu was to be arraigned alongside Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade, Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited and the Chief Operating Officer respectively, over their alleged complicity in the mismanagement of the N2.5bn seed grant for the Digital Switch-Over programme of the Federal Government.
Kawu’s lawyer explained, “He is on admission at the hospital at the moment. He had major surgery 10 years ago and I have a medical report from the University of Ilorin showing why he cannot be here. I ask for adjournment pending when he will be well enough to attend court.”
The counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Henry Emore, who did not oppose to the pleas for adjournment was asked to investigate the medical certificate presented by Kawu’s Lawyer.
Justice Giwa, in her ruling, said, “You must ensure that your client is in court even if he has to be on a stretcher; I am agreeing to this adjournment taking into cognisance his health issues, but the trial needs to go on, you must ensure he is in court next time.”
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