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The Bayelsa State High Court on Tuesday dismissed reports of delaying trial of suspects, restarting its commitment to speedy dispensation of justice.
The court dismissed reports that the trial of 15 domestic staff of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, facing trial for burglary and theft of jewelry, was being delayed as false.
The report had also claimed that the former First Lady was behind the protracted incercaration of the 15 suspects remanded at the medium security correctional centre at Okaka in Yenagoa.
Checks indicate that 15 suspects including domestic staff of former First Lady have been standing trial for alleged complicity in the missing jewellery since 2019.
The reaction was contained in a statement issued by Julius Nyananyo, Head of Media and Information of the Bayelsa State High Court and made available in Yenagoa.
Nyananyo said that as a responsible organisation, the court wishes to set the records straight in the interest of justice and fairness to all parties.
“The said case is being prosecuted by the state against the 15 persons as defendants and is currently being handled in High Court 1, presided by Hon.Justice Matilda Ayemieye, Chief Judge of Bayelsa State and the charge sheet includes allagations of armed robbery and attempted murder.
“The case was assigned to Hon.Justice Ayemieye in 2019 before my Lord became the Chief Judge, and His Lordship, granted accelerated hearing to enable parties to conduct the matter speedily
“From available records, the matter has suffered delays due to multiple defence lawyers who must cross- examine witnesses which have slowed down proceedings and the case has also suffered several adjournments at the instance of counsels.
“His Lordship had earlier adviced the defence team to work together by reducing the lawyers involved in the matter in the interest of the accused persons for speedy dispensation of the case,” the statement read.
Nyananyo stated that the court has always sat on all days assigned for the case and that the delay in the matter is not the fault of the court.
He further stated that only just recently defence lawyers made an application for Trial within Trial which the court granted, a development that will obviously will further delay the case.
On the claims that the defendænts were denied bail, Nyananyo, noted that the bail applications were determined on the merit and based on the materials furnished to the court.
According to the statement, some of the defendants were admitted to bail and anyone dissatisfied could explore review by appealing to the higher courts.
*It is sad and worrisome that the online platform threw the ethics of the journalism profession to the wind.
“And resorted to the use of very derogatory language that negates public decency against the person of the Chief Judge. We further deny as false and untrue that any person or authority is exerting influence or dictating the pace of the case.
*The use of such derogatory language against the person of the presiding judge and the office of the Chief Judge is most unfortunate and against journalistic principles,” Nyananyo stated.
Nyananyo advised the online platform to do more of investigative journalism than hear say in the interest of Justice and the Public Interest.