A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned till October 18, 2023, for the arraignment of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited in an 8-count charge on account of his indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, brought against them by the Federal Government.
Trial judge in the matter, Justice Oweibo, on Tuesday, directed that criminal summons be issued on Senator Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited in Charge No. FHC/L/383C/2019 pending before the court.
Recalled that the Federal Government commenced criminal prosecution against Senator Ubah in an 8-count charge on account of his indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria sometimes in 2019 which, includes 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.
In the proceedings that came up on June 13, 2023, the prosecutor, Mr. Tunde Lawal of the law firm of Kunle Adegoke SAN & Co informed the court that the defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice of today’s date.
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He further told the curt that at the last adjourned date, Senator Ubah was not in Court and hearing notice of that date was also served on him.
On that basis, he sought issuance of bench warrant against him.
Defendants counsel, Mrs. Ifeoma Esom, informed 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 on the ground that settlement cannot be reported on this matter as it was a criminal matter, parties may choose to settle outside the court but cannot make that part of the business of a criminal court and the best that can happen is plea bargain while also noting that settlement outside court does not give Senator Ubah, the authority to be absent from court.
The court, meanwhile, refused to issue a bench warrant but ordered that summons be served on Senator Ubah through his counsel, to appear in court on the next date.
The court noted that at the next adjourned date, if Senator Ubah fails to appear in court, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.
The court consequently, adjourned the matter to October 18, 2023, for arraignment.
