PLATEAU: BREAKING: A-G PLATEAU STATE, MAY GO ON APPEAL OVER REFUSAL OF COURT TO CONSOLIDATE CASES

 

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

The Attorney-General of Plateau State has indicated that he would appeal against the ruling of the Plateau State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Samchi, which refused his Application to Consolidate the case he has with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), which has been transferred to Plateau State from Abuja, with the ongoing case between the suspended 17 Local Government Council Chairmen and their Councilors in the 17 Local Government Councils of Plateau State.

It is of note that in its ruling on the Application yesterday, the Plateau State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Samchi held that the Application suffered from “Multiple Defects” and therefore, “Grossly Unmeritorious”.

The Judge held that the Application and Motion Paper deprived the Court of several details of the issues before the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, and that the applicant for the consolidation failed to show that the issues in the two cases are similar. 

 

The Court also held that “the Application was a deliberate ploy to waste the Court’s time and energy”.

Also in the same matter, the Application for Joinder by Hon. Daniel Kunmi and 16 other TIC Chairmen was refused and struck out for lack of competence.

You would recall that this is the third time that this Application is been presented to the Court and similarly rejected.

In his ruling on the Application for Joiner, the Judge in part said, “I have invited the Counsel (Williams Esq) of the applicant to address me on the Application, dated 14^th March 2024, and on the Jurisdiction of the Court to entertain same.

“Instead, he sought for an adjournment to address the Court, despite the record of the Court on the various rulings on the same Application.

“This issue of fair hearing can be traced back to the application for joinder by Daniel Kunmi. The reliefs he sought could not establish any interest to the Suit No: PLD/ J257/2023.

“In the meantime, he and other 16 TIC Members briefed another Counsel in January 2024 again and when confronted with the application of Daniel Kunmi, Counsel saw the need to withdraw the application and it was consequently, struck out.

“Now, the same Daniel Kunmi and others are trying to take cover under “Fair Hearing” with a third Counsel.

“I am not persuaded over their conduct of jumping from one Counsel to another. I take it that, the applicant having been giving the opportunity failed to address me.

“The Court has become “functus officio”. I hereby struck out the application for lack of competence”.