Court Fixes New Date For Trial Of FCTA Director, 11 Others

An Abuja High Court located in Garki has scheduled June 23 for the arraignment of the Director of Investigations and Prosecution of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Joseph Eriki, over his alleged participation in land fraud.

The court also postponed the pleas of other defendants involved in the alleged fraud, including Boniface Agwu, Ikechukwu Kanu, Prince Isaac Omoluwa, Nwaimoneye Augustine Onyisi, Surajo Aliyu, and Ogbole Michael, along with five companies: Super Structure Limited, Bonatec Electrical Company Limited, Weatherfield Engineering Marine Services Limited, and Asher Information Services Limited.

Trial Justice Suleiman Belgore indicated that the adjournment was necessary for the Federal Government to carry out a bench warrant issued by the court on May 27, which called for the arrest of the defendants to bring them before the court for prosecution.

Naija News reports that during the resumed proceedings on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that all attempts to apprehend the defendants had been unsuccessful.

Consequently, he requested additional time for the appropriate security agencies to execute the warrant.

Although the defendants were absent from court, they had engaged lawyers to represent them and announce their appearance.

Mr. C.S. Ekeocha, the counsel for the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 9th defendants, challenged the arrest order issued by the court, asserting that his clients had not been served with the charges against them prior to being declared wanted.

He informed the court that he has submitted an application to annul the warrant, along with another motion seeking bail for his clients following their arraignment.

Similarly, the counsel representing the third defendant, Mr. E.E. Apeh, informed the court that he had submitted comparable applications, while also urging the court to consider the motion aimed at vacating the bench warrant prior to proceeding with further actions in the case.

This request was met with opposition from the lawyer representing the Federal Government, Kaswe, who argued that the defendants had intentionally opted not to comply with the court’s summons.

In a brief ruling, Justice Belgore stated that the arguments presented by the defence attorneys suggested that their clients were aware of the charges against them and the order requiring their appearance in court.

He instructed the lawyers to ensure that their clients are present in court on the next scheduled date to enter their pleas regarding the nine-count charge brought against them by the Federal Government.

The Federal Government, in the charges, claimed that the defendants had conspired among themselves to defraud a company, Etha Ventures Limited, concerning plots 461 to 470 and 486 to 496, located in Sabon Lugbe, East Layout, Abuja, at some point between 2019 and 2024.

They were accused of utilising a forged land document to deceive the firm, an act that contravenes section 366 of the Penal Code, 2009, and is punishable under section 364 of the same legislation.

Specifically, the Federal Government alleged that the Director of the FCTA, with the intent to defraud, deliberately falsified information regarding the land plots and submitted the forged documents to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.