A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday adjourned the trial of three Lebanese allegedly involved in the importation of arms into the country.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola had earlier issued an order to the State Security Service (SSS), the Inspector-General of police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to produce the three Lebanese.
This was after the suspects sued the SSS, IGP and AGF over their arrest and continued detention. They equally faulted the closure of their business premises, demanding a public apology from the SSS, IGP and AGF, which must be published in three national dailies; and a N50bn compensation.
And complying on Thursday, the SSS presented the suspects, Mustapha Fawaz, owner of Amigo Supermarket; as well as Abdallah Tahini and Tala Roda to the court.
At the sitting of the court on Thursday, Counsel to the SSS, Mr. Cliff Osagie, informed the court that following the court order, the SSS had produced the suspects in court.
“We have complied with the order My Lord issued on June 11,” he said. “The suspects are in court and in response; we have filed our counter affidavit in this matter.”
However, he apologised for filing the counter affidavit and serving the papers on the defendant’s Counsel, Mr. Robert Clarke (SAN) only in the court on Thursday morning.
But counsel to the accused picked holes in the action, saying: “My Lord in all my years of practice, I have never seen where counsel will serve court papers in court on the day of hearing.
“It is not a tidy way of practice. We would have agreed to go and overlook this, but the counsel on the other side, in his counter affidavit, mentioned some serious depositions. We will, therefore, need time within which to look at it and talk with our clients.”
After listening to the argument of the two counsels, Justice Adeniyi ordered that they serve and exchange all court processes before June 17, also ordering the SSS, in whose custody the suspects were kept, to allow them have access to their lawyers at all times.
He adjourned hearing till June 21.
