The arraignment of a Lawyer, Victor Giwa, and a Property Developer, Cecil Osakwe, for destruction of property worth about N300 million, on Tuesday, at the FCT High Court, Abuja, suffered setback.

The suit has been adjourned several times before the Tuesday proceedings.

The prosecution had requested an adjournment to enable a further review of the case on the instruction of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, DPPF.

The defendants are standing trial on charges of unlawful eviction and malicious damage to property estimated at ₦300 million, among others.

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, Prosecution Counsel, Aderonke Imanah, informed the court that the matter, slated for arraignment, could not proceed because the third defendant was absent and the DPPF had directed a fresh review.

She, consequently, asked the court for a new date. The court also stated that counsel to the third defendant, Chidiebere Onyekwere, had written a letter explaining her client’s absence.

Also responding, Victor Giwa, who appeared for himself, thanked the DPP for commencing the review of the case, while Counsel for the first defendant, Farook Akanbi, maintained that his client is present and ready for trial.

Counsel to the nominal complainant, and the victim, Abubakar Musa, in a media interaction, condemned what he described as a sustained and deliberate pattern of delay, warning that it poses a grave threat to the administration of criminal justice.

The presiding Judge, Justice Samira Bature, accepted the request for review, and adjourned the case to April 24 for arraignment.