Military has refused to release its men for trial – Malami
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has disclosed that military authorities were yet to release soldiers involved in the killing of policemen who went to arrest a notorious kidnapper, Wadume in Adamawa State.
In a statement on Friday by his media assistant, Umar Jubrilu Gwandu, Malami said the non-availability of the military men involved in the killing was responsible for the removal of their names on the charge sheet.
“What the Office did was to severe the charges in view of the unavailability of the soldiers who in their own case need to be released by the military authorities in view of the fact that they were perhaps undergoing military processes before their release.
“The interest of justice requires and legitimately allowed for segmenting the case in the interest of speedy trail.
“It is in the interest of justice to accord speedy trial to the accused persons that are readily available to stand trial as against delaying at the expense of other co-accused persons who in the peculiarity of this case are not available for immediate arraignment.”
According to him, it is common practice that absence of a co-accused will not constitute impediment to the progress of a case.
“Those available are entitled to fair trial and have their case determined within a reasonable time as a matter of Constitutional rights.
“More so, looking at the fact that the available accused persons are not to be held responsible for the unavailability of the co-accused persons.”
He disclosed that his office had taken steps to procure the availability of the co-accused and shall have them arraigned immediately upon procuring their availability by the military authorities.
—-Nigerian Tribune
