A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against Mr. Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Abila Theck for their absence in court.
The duo are standing trial, together with Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited, on a 10-count amended charge bordering on falsely obtaining the sum of N976, 653,110.28 (Nine Hundred and Seventy Six Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Naira, Twenty Eight kobo), as subsidy claims from the government.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, counsel to Ogunbambo, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, was represented by a junior counsel who informed the court that Ogumbambo was indisposed and was not sure he would attend the court session. Abila Theck was not represented in court by any counsel. EFCC’s counsel, Francis Usani, objected to the excuses proffered by Ogunbambo for his absence in court saying that the excuses were not backed up by any medical proof of ill-health. He also frowned against the non-representation of Theck in court and the absence of any information about his whereabouts.
“The two defendants are on bail. They have a responsibility to present themselves in court as part of the conditions attached to their bail. My, Lord, the court must ensure that the defendants present themselves for trial at the next adjourned date”, he said.
In his ruling, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo issued a warrant of arrest on the two defendants to compel them to attend trial on the next adjourned date. He thereafter adjourned the case to September 16, 2013 for continuation of trial.
