The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja today, threatened to issue a bench warrant against an Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Giwa, in an alleged charge of unlawful eviction, criminal intimidation and threat to the life of one Ms Asabe Waziri.
The defendants were to be arraigned on alleged unlawful eviction and criminal intimidation but they were absent in court, reports Nigerian Tribune.
At the resumed sitting on the nine-count charge marked: CR/222/2023, Counsel to the plaintiff, M.A Una told the court that at the last sitting of the court, Victor Giwa, the 2nd defendant, had written to the court that he was sick but there was, however, evidence that he was before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja as a Counsel in another matter.
He therefore urged the court to grant an order for a bench warrant for his arrest for arraignment.
Responding, Deborah Nwoke, Counsel to Victor Giwa, insisted that her client was sick and had a medical report to prove it but did not contest the fact that he was in court that day.
Earlier, the plaintiff’s lawyer had told the court that the 1st defendant, Cecil Osakwe, is evading service and that several attempts to serve him failed and asked the court to grant an application for substituted service that can be pasted on his residence at No 11, Aso Drive, Abuja.
In a short ruling, Justice Samira Bature granted that the service should be pasted on the residence of the 1st defendant and threatened to issue a bench warrant on the 2nd defendant should he fail to appear on the next adjourned date.
The trial judge emphasised that the grace was because the 2nd defendant is a lawyer and therefore urged him to appear on the next adjourned date or the application for a bench warrant would be granted.
The defendants are facing a nine-count charge bordering on unlawful eviction, criminal intimidation, threat to life and damage to a property to the tune of N300 million.
Justice Bature adjourned the matter till tomorrow, Wednesday, July 17 for further mention and arraignment.
