Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos will on March 4 resume hearing in the alleged N2.9 billion fraud case against a former staffer of Eunisell, Kenneth Amadi.
Amadi, who was dragged to court over the alleged offence by the Federal Government, had continuously refused to appear in court for his arraignment over the charge.
He is scheduled to be arraigned alongside a firm, IDID Nigeria Limited, over the alleged offence
At the last hearing of the matter on January 29, the trial judge threatened to issue a bench warrant should Amadi fail to show up in court on Wednesday for his arraignment.
The judge bared his mind after listening to the lawyer representing the Federal Government in the matter, Aderonke Imana, who expressed her displeasure at the refusal of the accused person to show up in court.
She had then urged the court to compel Amadi’s appearance.
Imana also prayed the court to award a fine of N150,000 against the defendants in her favour as compensation for all her stress in coming down from Abuja to attend the case.
After listening to the submissions of the lawyer, Justice Liman threatened to issue a bench warrant against Amadi if he failed to show up in court on Wednesday.
The judge also awarded N50,000 costs against the defendants in favour of the prosecution’s lawyer.
The charges against the defendants include receiving and obtaining by false pretence with intent to defraud the sum of N2,9 million belonging to Eunisell Limited from A-Z Petroleum Limited and AMMASCO International Limited; omitting making full and true entry thereof in the books and accounts; suppression of data in respect of the financial transfer to Eunisell Limited; and converting same amount without authority to create sufficient deposits to promote the credibility of his own company, IDID Nigeria Limited.
The offences are contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, CapA6, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
