The absence of Dino Melaye in court on Monday stalled his trial in the ongoing alleged false information case before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of an Abuja Federal High Court.
The senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly is facing a two-count charge bordering on giving false information to the police.
Prosecuting Counsel, Shuaib Labaran, had arraigned Mr Melaye, alleging that the defendant had sometime in April 2017 deliberately given false information to the police.
Mr Labaran alleged that Melaye had deliberately volunteered information that incriminated chief of staff to the Kogi State governor, David Onoja, as the mastermind of an assassination attempt on him.
The prosecution counsel further alleged that Melaye had in April 2017 given false statement of facts during a phone conversation with Mohammed Abubakar, son of the late former governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu.
The senator, however, denied committing the offence which contravened Sections 140 and 393 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.
On resumption of hearing on Monday, Labaran told the court that Melaye was absent from court but that his counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, had explained the circumstance of his absence to him.
The prosecuting counsel informed the court that Mr Jalaawo had appealed to him to agree to his request for adjournment since the court had initially given two different days for continuation of hearing in the case.
Labaran then informed the court that he was not opposed to the defendant’s counsel’s request for an adjournment.
Jolaawo informed the court that Melaye was absent in court because he was in custody of the police.
The case has been adjourned till January 28 for continuation of hearing.
