A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for three staff of the Account and Finance Department of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) after they failed to appear in court for a multi-million-naira fraud case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The ICPC had charged four REA employees with allegedly receiving about one billion naira under the pretence of false project supervision.
When the cases were called on Thursday before Justice Emeka Nwite, Hanrrietta Onormen Okojie, Umar Musa Karaye, and Emmanuel Pada Titus were absent and were not represented by any counsel.
ICPC counsel Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha informed the court that the defendants were duly served and notified of their arraignment but chose not to appear.
The ICPC Counsel citing Sections 114 and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, requested an arrest warrant for all three accused persons to ensure the defendants’ presence at the next court date.
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Justice Nwite granted the request, issuing arrest warrants and ordering the prosecution to enforce them.
The presiding judge thereafter set June 13, 2024, for the arraignment of Musa Karaye and Emmanuel Pada Titus, and June 14, 2024, for Hanrrietta Onormen Okojie respectively.
In a related development, another REA staff member, Usman Ahmed Kwakwa, appeared in court for an alleged N298 million fraud charge.
The ICPC accused Kwakwa of defrauding the REA by receiving the said sum under false project supervision.
Justice Nwite granted Kwakwa a N50 million bail and adjourned the case to July 16, 2024, for the commencement of trial.
(Editor : Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
