Dino Melaye lied against me, witness tells court

Edward Onoja, Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, on Wednesday, alleged that Dino Melaye gave false information to the police implicating him in criminal activities.

Mr Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West, is charged with two counts bordering on giving false information to the police.

Testifying in the case before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, Mr Onoja said Mr Melaye also told the police that he was the mastermind of an assassination attempt on him.

Mr Onoja being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, said: “I got to know about the allegations against me in a publication in an online medium, Sahara Reporters, by my personal assistant.

`The defendant accused me of criminal activities, including gunrunning, assassination attempt and orchestrating a grand plan to bring the government I serve to its knees.”

While being cross-examined by Olusegun Jolaawo, counsel to Mr Melaye, Mr Onoja said that he only heard of an alleged attempt on Mr Melaye in his village in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi.

“The defendant alleged that those who went to kill him were chanting Sai Edward, sai Taofik.”

After testifying, Mr Jolaawo prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the defence to obtain some public documents to confront the witness.

The judge, Olasumbo Goodluck, ordered the defence to get all necessary documents ready and adjourned the matter until January 14 and January 28 for the continuation of hearing.

It;s reported that in count one, the senator was accused to have, sometime in April 2017, deliberately given false information to the police to frame Mr Onoja.

He alleged that Mr Onoja was the mastermind of the assassination attempt on him.

In the second count, Mr Melaye was alleged to have given a false statement of facts in a telephone conversation with Mohammed Abubakar.

The offence, the police said, contravened the provisions of sections 140 and 393 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)