Alleged N10bn fraud: Lack of interpreter stalls Suswam’s trial

The inability of the Federal Government to get an interpreter for its witnesses on Thursday stalled the trial of former Benue State governor Mr. Gabriel Suswam, in the N10 billion fraud charges brought against him.
The Federal High Court in Abuja prosecuting Suswam in the alleged fraud charges was stunned when the fourth prosecution witnesses informed the court that he is an illiterate and does not understand English language, being the official language in the court.
However, all efforts on the part of the prosecution to get an interpreter to interpret the local language of the witness to English language proved abortive.
In the drama that followed, the prosecution counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, begged Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed to adjourn the trial till Friday to enable him source for a competent interpreter.
The defence counsel led by Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) did not object to the request for adjournment but urged Justice Mohammed to adjourn the matter till May 5, 2016 so as to give the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ample opportunity to get necessary interpreters.
Justice Mohammed in his brief ruling agreed with the defence counsel and adjourned hearing in the matter till May 5, 2016.