The absence of a prosecution witness, Jimoh Moshood, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kubwa on Wednesday stalled the trial of a former senator, Isah Misau, charged with injurious falsehood.
The Attorney General of the Federation charged Misau with seven counts bordering on injurious falsehood.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed trial, the prosecution counsel, Ejovi Oghojafor, told the court that the witness was on a national assignment and unavoidably absent.
“We have written a letter to that effect to the court and same has been served on the defendant,” he said.
Justice Asmau Akanbi-Yusuf adjourned the matter until April 19 for cross-examination.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the AGF alleged that the defendant made a false statement that police officers pay as much as N2.5m to get special promotion and posting.
The defendant was also alleged to have claimed that the money was paid through the Police Service Commission, adding that the Inspector General of Police gets about N10bn monthly from oil companies, banks, hotels and individuals as bribe for police protection.
The prosecution said the claims by the ex-senator were published in a newspaper and aired on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ in August 2017.
He was also accused of claiming that the Inspector General of Police diverted money meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers to purchase Sport Utility Vehicles.
The prosecution said the defendant made such statements knowing that it would harm the reputation of Mr Ibrahim Idris who was the IG then, adding that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 393(1) of the Penal Code.
