By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt
Former Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON), Professor Jasper Jumbo,will tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2, 2023, appeared before a Rivers State High Court for the continuation of ongoing criminal trial involving him.
Hon. Justice TS Oji had on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, ordered that Jumbo appear before the Court in person for the trial.
Counsel to the defendant, Kelvin Nwufo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, represented by Mudiaga Onakpoya, had submitted that “Professor Jasper Jumbo could not come to court on that day (,April 25, 2023) because he was attacked and is hospitalized.”
However, the counsel to the defendant could not present any evidence of the alleged attack when asked.
It would be recalled that the case was adjourned to April 25 from February 14, 2023 for prosecution.
The defendant had filed an application that the four-count charge, preferred against him by the Inspector General of Police,
be quashed on the ground that “no prima facie case had been established against him”.
The Court declined and dismissed his application and set April25 and May 2, 2023 as we as May 23, 2023 for the continuation of the matter.
Speaking to newsmen after the ruling, representative of the Inspector-General of Police, Adams Ugwuanyi said: “The Court,in its wisdom, dismissed the application of Professor Jasper Jumbo because it found that the facts that were deposed to in that affidavit were worthless and lacked substance,so the defendant has been mandated to enter his criminal trial.
“The trial would go on,even if the defendant decides to absent himself from Court”.
