By Our Reporter
A High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki, following his failure to appear in court for arraignment in a criminal case filed by the police.
Presiding judge, Justice U.P. Kekemeke, ruled that the defendant had no valid excuse for his absence and consequently ordered his arrest.
Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police on a one-count charge of allegedly providing false information to the police in a petition dated October 2022.
The case was initially scheduled for arraignment on January 28 but could not proceed due to Turaki’s absence, despite a prior court order mandating his appearance.
At Thursday’s hearing, the prosecution urged the court to issue a bench warrant, citing the defendant’s failure to honour the summons.
However, defence counsel explained that Turaki’s absence was due to a petition submitted to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, requesting that the case be reassigned to another judge on grounds of lack of confidence in the court.
In his ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that filing such a petition does not automatically halt criminal proceedings unless expressly directed by the Chief Judge.
The court subsequently granted the prosecution’s application, ordering Turaki’s arrest and directing that he be produced before the court for arraignment. The case was adjourned for further proceedings.