A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered that criminal summons be issued on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited.
It ordered the duo to appear before it on 18th October 2023 for arraignment.
The Federal Government commenced in 2019 criminal prosecution of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in an 8-count charge over his indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON sometimes in 2019.
Among others, government accused Uba of making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets he transferred to AMCON under a consent judgment obtained in 2012, contrary to Section 54(1) of the AMCON Act.
When the case came up on Tuesday, counsel to AMCON, Babatunde, told the Court that the defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice.
He also told the Court that at the last adjourned date, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was not in court and hearing notice of that day was also communicated to him.
Consequently, he urged the court to issue bench warrant against him.
However, the defence counsel, Ifeoma Esom, told the court that the matter was for report of settlement/plea taking.
She said the defendants were just informed that settlement had failed and it was on the basis of settlement that the Ifeanyi Ubah was not in Court.
The prosecutor objected on the ground that settlement cannot be reported on the matter as it is a criminal matter.
He said while parties may choose to settle, they cannot make that part of the business of a criminal court and the best that can happen is plea bargain
He also noted that settlement outside court does not give Senator Ubah, the authority to be absent from Court.
The Court declined to issue a bench warrant, but ordered that summons be served on Uba through his counsel, to appear in Court on the next adjourned date.
The Court also stated that if Senator Ubah fails to appear in Court, a warrant may be issued for his arrest.
Thereafter the presiding Judge adjourned the matter till 18th October 2023 for arraignment.
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