April 16, (THEWILL) — A Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Thursday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, after she failed to appear before the court for arraignment in an ongoing criminal case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie issued the order after holding that the former minister, having been duly served with the charge, failed to appear in court without any acceptable explanation.
The court also ordered the arrest of a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Alkali, who was equally absent when the matter was called.
The EFCC had filed charges against Farouq, Alkali, and a third defendant, Sani Rabiu, over alleged financial offences linked to their tenure at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
At an earlier sitting on March 23, the court had granted an order for substituted service of the charge, directing that the processes be pasted at the defendants’ known addresses to ensure proper notification. Despite this order, the defendants were not present when the case was called on Thursday.
At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court of an ex-parte application seeking a bench warrant for the arrest of the two absent defendants, in line with Section 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
The application was amended after the court noted that the third defendant, Sani Rabiu, was present in court and would be proceeding separately.
Counsel to the former minister, Abdul Ibrahim, SAN, was present in court.
In its ruling, the court held that the affidavit of service before it confirmed that the defendants had been duly served in compliance with its earlier directive, but failed to appear for arraignment.
Justice Onwuegbuzie consequently held that their absence warranted the issuance of a bench warrant to secure their appearance before the court.
The matter was adjourned until May 18 for arraignment.
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