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The absence of Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, stalled the arraignment of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Senator Andy Uba, and his co-defendants for alleged N400 million fraud.
The matter, which was earlier fixed for Uba and Benjamin Etu to take their plea, could not proceed due to the judge’s absence from court.
Justice Umar was said to be sitting in another division of the court.
The court subsequently fixed November 6 for the arraignment of the defendants.
The judge had, on September 24, threatened to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Uba, the former Senator representing Anambra South, if he failed to appear in court on October 28 (Tuesday) for his trial.
The development followed an application made by the IGP’s counsel, Aminu Abdullahi, that a bench warrant be issued against Uba in line with Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, following his continuous absence in court.
READ ALSO: Alleged N400m fraud: Court threatens Andy Uba with arrest warrant
Abdullahi said Uba’s consistent absence had shown disrespect to the court, which had equally stalled his trial.
He argued that since the charge was filed in 2024, Uba had never appeared in court.
Abdullahi, who said the ex-lawmaker’s consistent absence was unbearable, said the same excuse of ill-health was adduced by his lawyer, C.F. Odiniru, for his absence in court when the matter came up in July.
Odiniru, however, pleaded for more time to allow his client present himself in court.
The lawyer attributed Uba’s absence to his ill-health.
The defendants were accused of obtaining by false pretence after they made a presentation to Mr. George Uboh that they had perfected ways for the appointment of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to any interested persons who could afford N400 million.
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