Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos
High Court sitting in Igbosere, on Monday 13th January, 2014
accused the defence counsel of stalling
the trial of the four men charged with the murder of Cynthia Osokogu in Lagos
in 2012.
Akinlade made the accusation when
counsel to the first and second defendants, Miss Mosunmola Oladapo and Mr. Michael Ajayi were
unable to file their written addresses as directed by the court.
The defendants are Okonkwo Nwabufo,
33, Olisaeloka Ezike, 23, Orji Osita 33 and Ezike Nonso, 25.
According to the news agency of
Nigeria (NAN), Osokogu was allegedly murdered on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla
Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Festac Town, Lagos, by her facebook lovers, Ezike and
Nwabufo.
The counsel had at last hearing
closed their defence for the “trial within trial” which was to determine how
statements were obtained from the defendants.
At the resumed hearing, the counsel
told the court that they were unable to file their unwritten addresses because
of their inability to obtain the records of proceedings.
The judge then accused the counsel
for deliberately stalling the trial, noting that they failed to consider that
the accused were still in prison custody.
“I followed up with the registrar to
make sure that the record of court proceedings is ready, but you did not show
up to collect it, Akinlade said.
The court ordered that the written
addresses should be filed and served on the prosecution within the next ten
days, while other response should be done in two weeks.
She adjourned the case to February
27 for the adoption of written addresses. The first and second defendants had
at the last hearing told the court that statements were forcibly obtained from
them.
It was further gathered that the men
were facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, stealing,
restless negligence and possession of stolen goods.
The prosecution said the 25 year old
Cynthia Osokogu, who was resident in Abuja, was lured to Lagos where she was
killed.
The
offences contravened section 221, 249, 285 and 327 of the criminal law of Lagos
state, 2011.
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