THE trial of five retired senior police officers accused of falsifying their ages has been delayed after they failed to appear in court despite repeated adjournments.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is prosecuting the officers — Benneth Igwe, Simon Lough, Idowu Owohunwa, Ukachi Opara, and Obo Ukam — alongside others said to be at large, on a 14-count charge of alleged age falsification.
At today’s sitting, prosecution counsel Rimamsonte Ezekiel informed the court that the defendants had been absent on three separate occasions.
He asked the court to either proceed in their absence or issue a bench warrant for their arrest.
However, Justice Yusuf Halilu declined, noting that since the officers had been granted administrative bail by the police, it was the responsibility of the prosecution to ensure their appearance.
Defence counsel, Terkaa Aondo (SAN), argued that his clients had not been formally served with the charges. He added that he had already filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the case.
Justice Halilu ruled that the objection would not be considered until the defendants were physically present in court. He advised the defence to secure their clients’ attendance at the next sitting and adjourned the matter until November 17 for arraignment.