By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The Upper Area Court 11, Jalingo, on Thursday commenced hearing in the alleged criminal breach of trust suit instituted by Mr Jubri Isa against a Taraba-based businessman and journalist, Mr Gabriel Olayinka.
People’s Daily reports that Olayinka has remained in detention at the Jalingo Correctional Centre since January 2026.
The newspaper further reports that the court, on July 24, 2026, ordered the managers of Zenith Bank Plc, Jalingo Branch, Globus Bank and Opay to appear before it and tender statements of account relating to Taraba Business School, a business outfit owned by Olayinka.
At Thursday’s proceedings, the managers of Zenith Bank and Globus Bank appeared and tendered the requested documents before the court. However, the Opay manager failed to appear and did not submit any written explanation for the absence.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Barr. D.G. Tukura, informed the court that his client’s witnesses were prepared to testify once all the subpoenaed financial institutions had complied with the court’s directive.
Tukura argued that the bank subpoenas formed the foundation of his client’s case, adding that Opay’s failure to produce the requested documents had left him unable to proceed with the hearing.
He urged the court to compel the Opay management to appear on the next adjourned date and tender the subpoenaed documents to enable him close his case.
Counsel for the defendant, Barr. Longs Lugnan of P.D. Pius and Associates, did not oppose the application but requested that the matter be adjourned to another date for continuation of hearing.
Lugnan, however, appealed to the court to fix the earliest possible date, noting that his client had been in detention for several months and that the court had earlier promised an accelerated hearing.
Ruling, the trial judge, Hon. Lawan Jika, ordered that the Opay manager be re-served with the subpoena and appear before the court unfailingly on July 17, 2026, to tender the required documents.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until July 17, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
