By Scholastica Hir, Makurdi                     

 The Magistrate Court 1 in Makurdi, Benue State has adjourned the case of alleged forgery and conspiracy against Alhaji Usman Dan Abubakar Maishanu a.k.a (Young Alhaji) of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) when the prosecution witnesses failed to appear in court. The police said the prosecution witnesses were ill and could not be brought to the court to testify.

 Alhaji Maishanu contested the April 21, 2007 Benue-South senatorial election against Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost both at the election and the court. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state has sought the police to drag him to the court with charges of "conspiracy, failure to give information to the police, and forgery".

 The police told the Chief Magistrate, Edwin Arii that during an investigation, Alhaji Maishanu denied he knew Mr. Benjamin Ewaoche Obe whom they (police) were investigating for alleged falsification of documents in the custody of INEC which conducted the controversial senatorial election in the zone.

The prosecutor said the report of the alleged falsification was lodged at the state police command by the INEC resident electoral commissioner in the state, Mr. Gabriel Ada who alleged further that the commission discovered that some documents used during the election and which were availed to Alhaji Maishanu to tender as exhibits in his petition against Senator Mark, were altered by Mr. Obe and some others allegedly at large.

 The development which led to the arraignment of Alhaji Maishanu in court came 12 weeks after the police invited and detained him in Makurdi for allegedly altering documents in the custody of INEC which said it availed him the said documents to tender as exhibits in his rested case against the disputed victory of PDP’s David Mark. Alhaji Maishanu was declared wanted by the police a day to the ruling in his petition against Senator Mark, but he submitted himself for arrest on Friday February 22 after which he was bailed and re-arrested on Monday February 25 on the same allegations of criminal conspiracy and falsification.

Mr. Benjamin Ewaoche Obe, an agent of the ANPP was also invited and detained on the same allegations on April 21, but granted bail after some hours in detention.

 But when the case was mentioned for hearing, last week Monday, the prosecutor, Mr. R.E. Nkem sought adjournment, saying the witnesses were ill.

 Counsel to Alhaji Maishanu, Mr. A.S. Orkuma conceded to the application for adjournment. He said however, that "the prosecutor told this honourable court that investigation had been completed and what was expected was commencement of hearing".

Chief Magistrate Arii adjourned the case to October 29, 2008 but warned that the prosecutor must make available, the witnesses in court on the adjourned date.