A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of lawyer Victor Giwa and police officer Inspector Edith Erhunmuuse over their failure to appear in court for arraignment in an alleged ₦300 million illegal eviction case.
Justice Samira Bature gave the order on Friday, describing the repeated absence of the defendants as deliberate delay tactics and a sign of disregard for the court.
During the hearing, the Federal Government’s counsel, Aderonke Imana, told the court that the case, filed in January 2023, had been stalled due to the defendants’ consistent failure to appear. She urged the court to compel their attendance under relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Counsel to the second defendant, Ogbu Aboje, opposed the application, stating that his client was absent due to illness and had submitted a medical report. He also referenced pending applications before the court.
However, the prosecution argued that arraignment is a fundamental step in criminal proceedings and that the court could not entertain any application until the defendants were formally arraigned.
In her ruling, Justice Bature agreed with the prosecution, noting that the case had lingered for nearly two years without arraignment due to the defendants’ conduct. She stated that the explanations provided, including medical reports, appeared to be attempts to delay the trial.
The judge emphasised that the court had previously exercised restraint but could no longer tolerate continued nonappearance. She added that the court’s jurisdiction in criminal matters can only begin after proper arraignment, making all pending applications premature.
The court therefore granted the prosecution’s request and issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendants.
The case was adjourned to April 29, 2026, for arraignment.
