Court issues criminal summons on Sen Ifeanyi Ubah, threatens warrant of arrest

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday issued criminal summons on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited, over an 8-count charge on allegation of indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.
The presiding Judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, gave the directive in the criminal prosecution of Senator Ubah by the Federal Government of Nigeria on an 8-count charge on allegation of indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in 2019. The charges include conspiracy in making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets transferred to AMCON under a consent judgment obtained in 2012 contrary to Section 54(1) of the AMCON Act.
The Prosecutor, Tunde Lawal of the law firm of Kunle Adegoke SAN & Co, at the proceedings on Tuesday, told the Court that the Defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice of day. He noted before the Court that at the last adjourned date, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was not in Court and hearing notice of that date was also served on him.
He, therefore, requested that the court issue a bench warrant against Sen. Ubah.
Counsel to the defendants, Mrs Ifeoma Esom, told the Court that the matter was for report of settlement/plea and that they were just informed this morning that settlement had failed, and it was on the basis of settlement that the 1st Defendant was not in Court.
The prosecutor objected to the explanation on the ground that settlement cannot be reported on this matter as it is a criminal matter, stating that parties may choose to settle outside the Court but cannot make that part of the business of the court.
The prosecutor also stated that the best that can happen is a plea bargain and such discussions on a settlement outside court do not give the 1st defendant, Senator Ubah the authority to be absent from court.
After listening to the parties, the court declined to issue a bench warrant but ordered that summons be served on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah through his counsel, for him to appear in court on the next adjourned date.
The court also stated that at the next adjourned date, if Senator Ubah fails to appear in Court, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.
Justice Oweibo, thereafter adjourned the matter to October 18 for the arraignment of Sen. Ubah.
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