Court Orders Arrest Of Lagos Prince

Justice Sherifat Solebo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a Lagos Prince, Waheed Gabadamosi Eletu-Odibo and one Yemi Idowu, for their failure to appear before the court for trial.

The defendants are to answer charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing, and unlawful conversion brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Others affected by the order of Justice Sherifat Solebo are their companies: Aircom Nigeria Limited and STB Building Society.

Justice Solebo made the arrest order yesterday while granting an application filed and argued by EFCC prosecuting counsel, Ahmed Yerima.

Eletu-Odibo and Idowu had refused to appear before the court to take their plea on the charges filed against them EFCC.

Moving the application for the issuance of bench warrant against the defenfants, Yerima told the court that the warrant of arrest sought for was based on the order of another court, which pronounced that the EFCC did not breach their fundamental human rights in another suit instituted by them.

“My lord, another court where the defendants filed a case of breach of fundamental human right against the Commission had ordered the defendants to appear before this court to face the charges against them and no rights was breached by the Commission.

“But as my lord can see, they are not in court, disobeying that order. In that circumstance, I would be asking for a bench warrant against all the defendants”, he prayed.

Justice Solebo, after takingvYerima’s submission, granted his request and issued bench warrant against the defendants.

Eletu-Odibi, Idowu and their firms are facing an eight counts charge bordering on stealing, obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to sections 278(1),(5)(a), 285(1)(b) 390, 390(1) and 419 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011 and Criminal Code Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003, respectively.

The EFCC alleged that the two defendants and their firms, sometime in 2013 within the Ikeja judicial division, dishonestly converted for their own use, three plots of land measuring 254,588 hectares, situated at Crystal Road, Osapa Village, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos, property of one Onononyi Patrick Okonkwo.