COURT PENALISES ARMY FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE ITS WITNESS IN COURT

laws, when it compulsorily retired some of its senior officers in 2016.

At the resumed hearing of the case last week, counsel to the Nigerian Army, I. I. Ngele informed the court that, although the matter was fixed for the defence to open its case, the sole witness the defence intended to call, one Major Ali Abba Goni of the Army Headquarters Garrison Legal Services, was absent in court because he is on a course.

He therefore, asked the court for an adjournment to enable the defence lead its case.

However, Suleiman’s counsel, Olayinka Adedeji, while opposing the application for adjournment, told the court that the claimant had it on credible record that, contrary to army’s claims, the witness was as at Tuesday morning in the office, but refused to come to court.

Adedeji said the Army lied over the whereabouts of its witness, adding that the Claimant has pictorial evidence to prove that the witness was in the office, and his car was parked in the office, thereby faulting the claim of the witness not being around.

Ruling on the application, Justice Kado awarded a cost of N20,000 against the Army, for failing to produce its witness in court.

The Judge thereafter, adjourned the matter to December 3, 2018, and ordered that the punitive cost be paid before the next adjourned date.