A Federal High Court sitting in Gombe yesterday heard a motion filed by former governor of Gombe State Alhaji Muhammad Danjuma Goje on the application for the change of venue for his trial.  In his submission, leading counsel to the accused persons Barrister Uche Christ said the application is necessitated by the security challenges facing Gombe, saying life of the visiting lawyers of both parties are in “great jeopardy in an atmosphere that could affect justice.”

Christ cited cases of the recent kidnapping of a serving member of the state House of Assembly, assassination of Police Inspector Gadzama and the January 11 assassination of minority leader of the Gombe State House of Assembly as evidences of insecurity in Gombe. The key factor, according to him, is security, which borders on the fundamental rights of fear hearing. Describing the case as sensitive and sensational, he said the case is the only one of its type in the whole north-east involving the trial of a former governor and a serving senator.

In a counter argument, the prosecution counsel said Gombe is not the only state in the federation that is facing security challenges and argued that all the witnesses to the case are in Gombe and it is only wise if the case is tried in Gombe.

Barrister Wahab Shittu, counsel to the EFCC, urged the court to refuse the application for the transfer of venue as filed by the defending counsel, arguing that the case is not only one that is politically sensitive.

Justice Babatunde Qadiri, the presiding judge, fixed today for ruling in the matter.