By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The hearing in a suit between Dilkon Plastic Ltd and Parag Sule, an Indian national and five others have been adjourned to the 8th of December, 2022 by the High Court of Justice, sitting in Jos, Plateau State.

The complainant, Dilkon Plastic Ltd sued Sule, its former employee and five others and the six are standing trial on 11 count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust.

When the case file, No: PLD/J227c/2021 was called, Counsel for the complainant, Francis Okafor Esq told the court that the matter was adjourned till today for a plea to be taken.

He expressed surprise at the absence of some of the defendants saying, “I can see only three defendants in Court. My learned friend announced the appearance for only 1st, 4th and 5th defendants, why?”

In his submission, counsel to the 1st, 4th and 5th defendants, Vincent Orifunmishe Esq, told the court that “The report I got is that the 1st Defendant (Parag Sule) was sick and hospitalized in India. He was hospitalized for a shock when he received an information that his father-in-law had been in a coma for months passed.”

He explained that the Indian High Commission in Nigeria granted the 1st defendant an Emergency Certificate to exit Nigeria on June 17, 2022, and upon receiving a copy of the Emergency Certificate, he placed a WhatsApp call to the 1st defendant to let him know the importance of ensuring he was in court.

Orifunmishe added that the 1st defendant told him he put up the notice to the hospital but the hospital declined to state that the 1st Defendant must be physically fit. The Indian High Commission in Nigeria had asked him to avail them of the Hearing Notice of the matter since his going to India was based on their authorization.

“In the circumstances, I will ask my Lord to excuse his absence today. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,” he stated.

On the 4th and 5th defendants, the Counsel said, “I do not have an explanation as to why they are not in court. Moreso, there is a Bench Warrant against them but I do not know if the warrant has been executed.”

He made an oral application for an adjournment and there was no objection from Counsel for the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Defendants, Bitrus Dung Esq, Nantok Dashuar Esq, and G.T Gontur Esq respectively as well as Counsel for the complainant, Francis Okafor Esq.

The matter was subsequently adjourned.

It would be recalled that the Chairman/CEO of Dilkon Plastic Ltd, Leonard Dilkon had accused some Indian expatriate working in his organization of sabotaging his business, pilfering vital machines parts in his factory at Bisichi, Barkin Ladi local government area of the State.