THE TRIAL of a man accused of soliciting two undercover gardaí to travel to Brazil to collect cocaine and bring it back into Ireland has collapsed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sunny Idah (36), Gerard House, Brown Street, London, had pleaded not guilty to two charges of soliciting a person to unlawfully import cocaine between September 14th and 19th, 2010.
Judge Desmond Hogan told the jury, on the second day of the trial, that he was to “withdraw the case from you” following “extensive” legal argument. Additional evidence of a “technical nature” had been served on the defence “late in the day” and Mr Idah’s legal team needed time to have an expert analyse this new evidence.
Judge Hogan said there was “no hint of criticism” towards the prosecution as the evidence came from international sources and the State had only been provided with it last week. He said this was then immediately provided to the defence.
The judge told the jury it was up to the prosecution to prove its case and the defence was entitled to “probe the evidence”. He discharged the jurors and thanked them for their service.
A new trial date will be set later this month.