Court dismisses Sadiya Farouq’s request to set aside arrest warrant in $1.3m, N746m fraud’ case

An FCT High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has dismissed an application filed by former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to vacate a bench warrant issued for her arrest.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, who delivered the ruling on Monday, held that the former minister failed to appear before the court without a valid excuse.

Farouq is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed on allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and the diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.

According to the judge, the court is empowered by law to issue a bench warrant when a defendant deliberately fails to appear for trial without sufficient justification.

“The defendant, who is fully aware that this is a criminal proceeding, has willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason,” Onwuegbuzie ruled.

The judge also dismissed the medical grounds advanced by the defence, noting that the ailments cited, including arthritis and heart disease, did not sufficiently explain the defendant’s inability to appear in court.

“There is nothing in the exhibit explaining why the defendant, who has mere arthritis and heart disease, cannot appear before the court. Is it that there are no medical facilities in Nigeria?” he queried.

Justice Onwuegbuzie described the application as lacking merit and consequently refused to set aside the arrest warrant.

Following the ruling, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to enforce an undertaking allegedly made by Farouq’s lawyer, A.A. Ibrahim (SAN), to produce his client before the court.

Jacobs argued that the medical report relied upon by the defence had expired and requested the court to ensure the defendant’s appearance at the next hearing.

However, A.M. Lawal, who represented Ibrahim in court, appealed for time to allow the senior advocate personally address the issue surrounding the undertaking.

The court granted the request and adjourned the case until July 2 for the arraignment of the defendants.