Hanrrietta Onormen Okojie, Umar Musa Karaye and Emmanuel Pada Titus, all staff of the Account and Finance Department of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), accused of stealing about N1 billion in public funds, have refused to show up in court.
This made Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issue a bench warrant for Okojie, Karaye and Titus on Thursday.
Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, the prosecuting counsel with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), asked the court for the defendants’ arrest warrants.
READ ALSO: Full List: ICPC’s 39 Most Wanted Persons
“The ICPC had charged four REA employees with allegedly receiving about one billion naira under the pretence of false project supervision,” the ICPC stated on Friday.
“When the cases were called on Thursday before Justice Emeka Nwite, Hanrrietta Onormen Okojie, Umar Musa Karaye, and Emmanuel Pada Titus were absent and they 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.
“Justice Nwite granted the request, issuing arrest warrants and ordering the prosecution to enforce them.”
READ ALSO: New ICPC Report Details How Over N2b Public Funds Were Siphoned Through Constituency Projects
Karaye and Titus are expected to be arraigned in court on June 13. Justice Nwite also set Okojie’s arraignment for June 14.
The Nigerian REA is the implementing agency of the federal government tasked with the electrification of rural communities.
The post 3 REA Account Officers Refuse to Appear in Court ‘After Stealing N1bn’ Under Supervision Pretence appeared first on Exposed.Quest The Quest for X !.