Thugs disrupt Court session during ex-Gov. Goje’s corruption trial

Senator Danjuma Goje

By Auwal Umar
A group of thugs in Gombe State have disrupted a High Court session while the trial of the former governor of the state, Danjuma Goje, was ongoing.

Mr. Goje, alongside four other accused persons, are being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and embezzlement of funds belonging to the state government.

Although the former governor was not present at the sitting on Thursday, the thugs, numbering about 100, stormed the court premises, chanting anti-Goje slogans and holding placards, calling on the court to jail the former governor.

A statement by the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the attack, saying the court had to cut short the proceeding and adjourn for further hearing owing to the fracas.

The EFCC spokesman added that the thugs launched attack on the accused persons and others outside the court premises during which the second accused person, Aliyu El-Nafarty, and one other person, were seriously wounded.

Mr. Uwujaren said in the melee, vehicles were vandalized including that of the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro.

“The attack forced the presiding judge, Justice B. O. Quadri to adjourn to November 25, 2015.

“Justice Quadir condemned the attack and directed both counsel to do a report on what happened which he promised to forward to the Chief Judge, Federal High Court for necessary action,” he said.

Earlier, during the court session, a witness, Shehu Atiku, told the court that Mr. Goje had forged a resolution of the House of Assembly and collected N5 billion facility from Access Bank.

“My Lord, the said resolution did not emanate from the Gombe State House of Assembly and I was not a signatory to it,” said Mr. Atiku, a former Clerk of the Gombe State House of Assembly.

“As the admin officer of the House, I chair management committee of the House, keep the record of House proceedings and maintain its records,” he said.

Mr. Atiku is one of the three witnesses called by the prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shitu.
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