* Chimaroke-Nnamani * Pix Source Daily Post Nigeria
A Federal High Court, Lagos, today issued bench warrant against former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani.
The court presided over by Justice Chuka Obiozor, made the order, consequent upon the failure of the former governor to appear in court today, as ordered by the court so that he can take his plea in a criminal charge filed against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria, over alleged N5.3 billion fraud he allegedly committed while in office.
Justice Obiozor had last Thursday, ordered that the former governor should appear before him today to take his plea, on the alleged fraud.
At the resumed hearing of the matter today, Nnamani’s lawyer, Abubakar Samusudeen, informed the court of the inability of his client to be in court , as he said he was yet to return from his medical treatment abroad.
Samusudeen urged the court for more days to enable his client return from abroad to stand trial.
However, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kelvin Uzozie, urged the court to discountenance Nnamani lawyer’s applicant, saying that court order is meant to be obeyed
Ruling on the application, Justice Obiozor, conceded to the submission of the EFCC lawyer and issued arrest warrant against Nnamani.
The matter has been adjourned till December 14, 2017
Justice Obiozor is the fourth judge to handle the case, which began in 2007.
The case has been handled by Justices Tijani Abubakar, Charles Archibong (rtd.) and Mohammed Yunusa, who was suspended by the National Judicial Council(NJC) over corruption allegations.
The trial has been stalled since July 5, 2015, when some of the defendants entered into a plea bargain and forfeited their assets before Justice Yunusa.
