N550 fraud: Abuja court threatens absentee lawyer with bench warrant

A Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has threatened to issue a bench warrant against a legal practitioner, Ferdinand Isa following his failure to appear in court in N550m fraud case filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

A statement by Demola Bakare, the acting Director, Public Enlightenment and Education says Isa, who is the second defendant in the N550m corruption case, was due to be arraigned in the court on May 10, 2024 but failed to show up when the case was mentioned.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, said the failure of the defendant to appear before the Court depicted a blatant “lack of respect for the law” adding that a repeat of such would attract sanctions.

Isa was arrested alongside his client, Mrs. Roseline Egbuha for allegedly conniving to illegally lift restrictions on an account being investigated by ICPC.

The sum of N550m discovered in a Guaranty Trust Bank account belonging to Egbuha had been placed under a ‘Post No Debit’ (PND) order pending investigations.

The Commission, however, found out that the full sum was transferred to an account named ‘FBI legal’ owned by Isa on the 4th of June, 2020 with the lawyer claiming that an out of court settlement with the bank in question had legalised and facilitated the transaction.

The counsel representing the second defendant, N.I Usman failed to give any cogent reason to justify his client’s absence.

Counsel for the ICPC, Kemi Odogun, thereafter moved for an adjournment due to the absence of the defendant.

After listening to the argument of both counsels, Justice Omotosho threatened to issue a bench warrant against the defendant, not minding his profession and standing in the society.

The matter was adjourned till June 11, 2024 when all parties are expected to make an appearance.