Boko Haram: Ndume wants court to stay proceedings

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who is standing trial for terrorism-related charges before a Federal High Court in Abuja, has asked the court to stay proceedings in the matter pending an appeal he filed challenging the decision of the court to admit in evidence certain documents tendered by prosecution at its last sitting. The matter was slated for yesterday for continuation of trial but Ndume’s counsel, A. O. Jolawo, told the court that his client had filed an appeal against the court’s ruling of December 11 and 14, 2012 which admitted in evidence DVD’s containing call data records as well as findings of investigations carried out by a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) of the State Security Service (SSS).

Prosecuting counsel, Thompson Olatigbe confirmed that they have been served with the notice of appeal but urged the court to proceed with cross examining the witness since the motion for stay is not ripe for hearing and that they are yet to be served with the motion for stay of proceedings.
The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned till February 19, 2013 to hear the application however and added that he feels rather hesitant to insist that cross examination of the prosecution witness should continue.