A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kabiru Turaki (SAN), over his failure to appear for arraignment in a criminal case instituted by the Police.
The trial judge, Justice U.P. Kekemeke, held that Turaki had no justification for his absence in court and consequently ordered his arrest.
Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs under 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 had earlier come up on January 28 for arraignment, but was stalled due to the defendant’s absence, despite a prior court order directing him to appear.
At the proceedings, the prosecution urged the court to issue a bench warrant against the defendant for failing to honour the summons.
