/ 21 March 2001

COURT HALTS TRIAL OF EX-DICTATOR?S SON

A NIGERIAN appeal court has temporarily halted the murder trial of the son of late dictator Sani Abacha pending an appeal hearing at the nation’s highest court. Mohammed Abacha and three others are standing trial in a Lagos high court for the June 1996 murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of late businessman politician – and presidential contender – Moshood Abiola. Abacha told the appeal court that the information provided by the prosecution in the lower court failed to link him with the alleged murder. – AFP