Updated: Court gives bailiff five days ultimatum to serve subpoena on Jonathan

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday gave the court bailiff five days to serve former President Goodluck Jonathan with the subpoena compelling him to appear in court with respect to the trial of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.

The court also ordered the counsel prosecuting Metuh, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, to persuade the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to explore administrative means of ensuring that the Department of State Service produced the detained former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, in court on October 31.

Upon applications by Metuh, the court had issued two separate subpoenas on Jonathan and Dasuki, compelling them to appear in court on Wednesday.

But both men were, however, absent from court on Wednesday. Justice Abang noted in his ruling on Wednesday that without the two summoned witnesses appearing, the court might not be able to make any progress in the case.

He also noted that while Dasuki had been served with the court subpoena, Jonathan had yet to be served so could not be blamed for failure to attend court on Wednesday.

But the judge noted that singular attempt by the court bailiff to serve Jonathan personally with the witness summon at his home in Abuja, was not sufficient.

He therefore directed the bailiff to take further steps to ensure personal service on Jonathan within five days from Wednesday.

He said if after five days, the bailiff was unable to serve Jonathan personally, Metuh, who was the one who applied for the subpoena, should kick-start the process of serving the ex-President through substituted means.

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