The complainant in a criminal case involving two Abuja-based lawyers on Tuesday decried prolonged delays in their arraignment, lamenting that the matter has dragged on for nearly two years while she continues to suffer the consequences of the alleged wrongdoing.
Ms. Asabe Waziri, an Abuja resident, is the complainant in a nine-count charge bordering on unlawful breaking, illegal eviction, and destruction of property valued at about ₦300 million.
The charges were filed against Mr. Cecil Osakwe, Mr. Victor Giwa, and Ms. Edith Erhunmuse, a police officer, over an alleged incident at Ms. Waziri’s residence on Mekong Street, Maitama, Abuja.
An FCT High Court presided over by Justice Samira Bature on Tuesday adjourned the matter to April 24, 2026, following stalled proceedings occasioned by the absence of the third defendant, Ms. Erhunmuse.
The case had earlier been adjourned on February 3 due to her absence, which was attributed to ill health.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, informed the court that the case—slated for arraignment—could not proceed because the third defendant was not in court.
She further disclosed that the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) had ordered a fresh review of the matter, and sought a short adjournment to comply with the directive.
The court noted that counsel to the third defendant, Chidiebere Onyekwere, had written to explain his client’s absence. Onyekwere, however, told the court that his client had consistently refused to appear and that he no longer represented her.
Counsel for the first defendant, Farook Akanbi, maintained that his client, Osakwe, had always been present and ready for arraignment. The second defendant, Victor Giwa—who appeared in person—commended the DPPF for initiating a review of the case.
The defendants are accused, among other offences, of unlawfully breaking into Ms. Waziri’s residence at Mekong Street, Maitama, Abuja. According to the prosecution, the alleged offences are contrary to Sections 96, 97, 326, and 327 of the Penal Code Law.
The charge was instituted in 2023 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Although the defendants were first scheduled for arraignment on July 3, 2024, the case has been adjourned eight times due to various reasons—an outcome the complainant says violates the spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which mandates speedy dispensation of criminal justice.
Addressing journalists after the proceedings, counsel watching brief for the complainant, A. K. Musa, condemned what he described as a sustained and deliberate pattern of delay, warning that it poses a grave threat to the administration of criminal justice.
Musa said the repeated adjournments offended both the spirit and letter of the ACJA, particularly provisions requiring expeditious trials.
He alleged that while proceedings remain stalled, the victim continues to suffer ongoing violations of her rights, noting that her educational certificates, professional credentials, and other personal belongings allegedly remain in the defendants’ custody.
While expressing confidence in the Attorney-General’s commitment to the rule of law, Musa said he was concerned that the ongoing review appeared to follow a series of petitions and correspondences by the defendants which, in his view, may not fully present the facts.
He further disclosed that Victor Giwa is facing a separate trial over an alleged forgery of a letter purportedly written by Mr. Awa Kalu, SAN, which he said was intended to halt the present proceedings.
Musa emphasised that justice is owed not only to defendants but equally to victims and the state, warning that petitions to the Attorney-General cannot substitute for appearance before a court of competent jurisdiction.
