Absence of Judge stalls ex-Gov. Nyame’s trial

The trial of an ex-Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame suffered setback on Friday owing to the absence of Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court, Gudu.
Nyame is facing trial on a 41-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and embezzlement of more than N1.64 billion state funds while in office.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nyame and his team of lawyers, led by C. U. Edosomwan (SAN), arrived in the court at about 9.30am for the trial.
After waiting for more than an hour and there was no indication that the court would sit, they departed the court premises.
When contacted by a NAN correspondent, the court clerk, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the court would not sit.
The clerk, however, did not give any reason why the judge was absent.
NAN reports that the case had been slated for trial-within-trial to enable Nyame prove the allegation that the statement he made in 2007 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is prosecuting him, was under duress.
NAN recalls that Nyame’s trial has been on since 2007.
NAN.