A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has issued bench warrant for the arrest of two Sri Lankans and their sureties.

Justice Olasumbo Goodluck issued the arrest warrant on Wednesday when the two who were to be arraigned with a Nigerian, failed to attend court.

The Sri Lankans – Saththiyaraj Kantharasa and Vinith Ukantharasa – and a Nigerian, Anthony Adetokunboh, were to be arraigned before the court on forgery related charge brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The ICPC accused them of being in possession of fake Malaysian passports and making false statements.
Wednesday made it the third time the arraignment of the defendants would be rescheduled.

They were initially scheduled for arraignment on March 24 this year, but was postponed to May 11 when the court did not sit

The court again did not sit on May 11 prompting a rescheduling for May 13.

At the mention of the case on Wednesday, only Adetokunboh, who had been remanded at the Kuje custodial centre, was in court, while the first and second defendants were absent.

Lawyer to the prosecution, Aniekan Ekong, expressed surprise that the two Sri Lankans (listed as the first and second defendants) were not in court.
Ekong said the defendants, who were in court on May 11, were aware of Wednesday’s date.

The prosecution lawyer then prayed the court to order the two defendants’ arrest so they could be brought to court by the police for arraignment.

Lawyer to the defendants, Nonso Nzedebe, told the court that the first and second defendants were in court on Monday when their arraignment was initially scheduled.

Nzedebe said the Sri Lankans were afraid of journalists covering their case and that he had tried to allay their fears.

He explained that when he went to the hotel the Sri Lankans were lodged, he was told that they had changed hotel without his knowledge.

“They even lied to the hotel manager that I was the one who got a cheaper hotel for them,” Nzedebe said.

The defence lawyer did not object to the prosecution’s application for the issuance of warrant of arrest against the first and second.

Ruling, Justice Goodluck frown at the absence of the Sri Lankans in court, which she said stalled today’s proceeding.

The judge proceeded to order that a bench warrant be issued on defendants and their sureties to show cause why they should not be remanded in prison custody.
Justice Goodluck then adjourned till May 27 for arraignment.