The Special Offences Court sitting in Lagos yesterday declared the chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, Innocent Chukwuma, wanted over his failure to appear in court for his arraignment for the fifth time. Chukwuma and his company are to be arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, property belonging to Guaranty Trust Bank.
The accused are to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Mojisola Dada had declared the accused person wanted as she granted the request of Anselem Ozioko, the lead prosecuting counsel of the EFCC. Chukwuma had previously failed to make an appearance in court for his arraignment on January 17, February 9, March 14 and April 25. His failure to appear before the court for five consecutive times informed the issuance of the bench warrant. During the proceedings of March 14, it was revealed that Chukwuma had petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over Justice Mojisola Dada, the trial judge. Ozioko in his submission seeking the declaration of Chukwuma wanted said: “This appears to be the fifth time this matter is coming up before your lordship for arraignment.
“The learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria representing the second defendant (Innoson) is still insisting on taking his application without ensuring the defendant is physically present in court. “The question is, where is the second defendant? Is he too big for the court? Is he too big for the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Is he too big because he has money? Where is he? “What my learned friends, the defence counsel are doing is contemptuous. “We shall be applying for an order to declare the second defendant wanted.” Earlier, during the proceedings, Ozioko had informed the court that the anti-graft agency will also be taking steps to ensure Chukwuma’s attendance in court on the next adjourned date.
Counsel to Chukwuma, George Uwechue (SAN) had requested that the court hear his application despite Justice Dada’s declaration that no application will be heard until Chukwuma is physically present in court. “At the last hearing, the court maintained its position that it will not take its pending application unless the first defendant is arraigned,” he said.
