Failing to Appear: Court orders arrest of factional PDP chair Turaki in case filed by police in 2022
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court has ordered the arrest of Kabiru Turaki, a factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for failing to appear before the court in a case filed by the inspector-general of police (IGP).
U.P. Kekemeke, the trial judge, on Thursday, held that Turaki, a former minister, has no justification not to appear before the court.
The IGP had filed a one-court charge against Turaki for allegedly providing false information to the police in a petition dated October 2022.
On January 28, the former minister was scheduled to be arraigned in court but the case was stalled because he was absent.
During the court proceedings, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant was supposed to be in court based on the earlier order of the court summoning him.
The prosecutor had asked the court to issue a bench warrant against Turaki.
The defense counsel responded that his client was not in court because there is a letter to the chief judge of FCT high court seeking a transfer of the case to another judge.
The defense counsel said a petition expressing doubt on confidence in the court has been submitted to the chief judge.
K.N. Ogbonnaya, the trial judge, said filing a petition to the chief judge cannot stop the continuation of a criminal proceeding unless a directive comes from the chief judge.
The case was later adjourned to March 5.
THURSDAY’S PROCEEDINGS
Earlier during the proceedings, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, counsel to the former minister, asked the court to strike out the charges against his client.
Rabiu Umar, the prosecution counsel, opposed the application.
Kekemeke, the trial judge, declined the application, adding that Turaki is aware that his case was before the court.
The trial judge, therefore, ordered his arrest.
The case was adjourned to April 22 for arraignment.
