At the resumed hearing before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, prosecution counsel, Adama Musa, informed the court that the defendants were absent, although their legal representatives were in attendance.
The murd£r trial of eleven suspects accused in the k!lling of ARISE News journalist Somtochukwu Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami was stalled on Monday, February 9, after the Nigerian Correctional Services failed to present the defendants in court.
At the resumed hearing before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, prosecution counsel, Adama Musa, informed the court that the defendants were absent, although their legal representatives were in attendance.
Musa expressed frustration over the development, stating that officials of the Correctional Services claimed they were unaware of the January 9 trial date, despite the prosecution having four witnesses present and ready to testify.
The defendants were arraigned on January 21, 2026, and the court had fixed February 9, 10, and 12 for trial.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, adjourned the matter to Tuesday, February 10, urging the witnesses to remain available in the interest of justice.
The judge also ordered that a formal hearing notice be issued to the Nigerian Correctional Services to ensure the defendants are produced in court at the next sitting.
Recall that a robbery incident on September 29, 2025, at Unique Apartments in Katampe Extension, Abuja, led to the de@ths of Maduagwu and Danlami.
The eleven defendants are facing nine counts bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and murd£r.
They are Shamsu Hassan, Sani Sirajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, Suleiman Badamasi, Zaharadeen Mohammed, Musa Umar (alias “Small”), Mashkur Jamil, Suleiman Sani and Abubakar Usman.