Court Orders Arrest Of Robbery Suspect

An Enugu High Court last Thursday ordered that a second bench warrant be served on a robbery accused who has refused to appear in court after his bail.

The court, presided over by Justice Catherine Nwobodo, gave the order after it realised that Ugochukwu Chinyere, who was granted bail on March 29, 2011, has not appeared in court thereafter.

Nwobodo had earlier ordered a bench warrant on him on November 19, 2012.

The state counsel, Mr Dele Orimogunde, told the court that Chinyere and his surety had not been coming to the court since he was granted bail.

Orimogunde also said the second accused, Chukwudi Obi, had not been appearing but that his surety and his father had been appearing.

Mr Chidobelu Ekwueme, counsel to Chinyere, told the court that he had not seen the accused but had been hearing from his father on phone.

He promised to release phone number of his client’s father to the state counsel if he so wished.

Mr Obiora Ewulu, who took Obi on bail, told the court that the accused ran away from a prayer house where he was being treated for a spiritual attack, and had not been seen.

The court adjourned the case for plea and hearing.

Meanwhile, in a case of conspiracy and fraud, the court had to adjourn till May 20 when two attorneys clashed over the brief.

Nwobodo adjourned the case when Mr Joshua Ajayi from Kaduna State presented a letter from the accused persons engaging his services.

Ajayi pleaded with the court to let the case go on full trial considering the distance he travelled.

However, Mr Chidobelu Ekwueme, who has been defending the accused persons, said he had not been disengaged by his clients.

Ekwueme told the court that he defended the accused persons until they were granted bail on November 20, 2012.

Umar Abdulahi, 22, and others at large are facing charges of defrauding Gloria Egwuche of her 50 bags of rice valued at N480,000 at No. 11, Kenyatta Street, Uwani Enugu on December 20, 2010.