Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe was arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja on Monday.
He pleaded not guilty to the four-count criminal charge against him by the government.
Not long after he took his plea, his laywer, Mr. Larry Selekeowei, SAN, told the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal that he was ready for trial.
He also expressed confidence that the federal government cannot provide enough evidence to make a case against him.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Musa Usman, told the tribunal that his witnesses were not available, so he urged the tribunal to adjourn the case to two weeks.
Selekeowei insisted that the federal government was not serious about the case, he said “My lords, we are really surprised that they are not ready to proceed today (yesterday) despite all the noise they have made for the past 10 days.
“On our part, we are ready for this trial. Though we cannot force them to open their case, but looking at the rules of this tribunal, Rule 5(1) is a part they can fulfil today (yesterday). It clearly mandates them to disclose the evidence they have against the accused person.
“They can at least clear that part before we get to the issue of whether they have witnesses or not. If the witnesses are not here, he should state the evidence. This kind of case should not be for mere jamboree.”
Eventually Justice Danladi adjourned the matter to November 26 although he chastisised the federal government for not producing witnesses.