Agba Jalingo’s Trial Stalled On Technical Ground

The trial of journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo, on Tuesday suffered a minor setback as the prosecution and defense counsel could not come to terms on the processes filed.

Jalingo is facing trial on four count charges bordering on treasonable felony, attempt to topple the Cross River State Government and terrorism.

Jalingo had in July published an article where he asked Governor Ben Ayade to come clean on the whereabouts of the N500m approved and released for the floating of the Cross River Microfinance bank.

The prosecution counsel, Mr Dennis Tarhemba, told the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, that he was served with another affidavit by the defense and pleaded the court to take a short date for “us to look at the content of this file”.

Tarhemba, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said he was served at about 9:25am when the court had begun sitting.

The defense counsel, Mr James Ibor, in his argument submitted that the prosecution lacked the right to “ask for another date because we responded line-to-line to his affidavit which was filled with lies”.

Upon resumption of sitting, Tarhemba argued on the need for protection of witnesses while Ibor submitted that there was no threat to the witnesses and called on the court to dismiss the application of the prosecution.

Justice Amobeda after listening to the two counsels, adjourned the trial until Wednesday.

The judge held that no matter where the ruling tilts to on the next adjourned date, the actual trial will commence.