Court orders arrest of police officer for allegedly evading arraignment
FCT High Court Orders Arrest of Police Officer for Evasion
Justice Samira Bature of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for a police officer, Edith Erhunmuuse, who has reportedly evaded arraignment in an ongoing criminal case.
The judge instructed all law enforcement agencies nationwide to apprehend Erhunmuuse wherever she may be located. This order came after a request from the prosecution, represented by Aderonke Imana.
Erhunmuuse is one of three defendants in a case numbered FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, alongside Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa. They face allegations related to the forced eviction of occupants and the destruction of property valued at approximately 300 million naira.
During the hearing, Imana detailed that Erhunmuuse had failed to appear in court once again, despite a previous bench warrant issued for her absence. The prosecution noted that they had sent letters to the Commissioner of Police for the FCT and had provided directives from the Inspector-General of Police aimed at ensuring her attendance.
“Yet, the defendant failed to appear despite the directives of the Inspector-General of Police,” Imana told the court.
Citing Section 353 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the prosecution requested the issuance of another warrant for Erhunmuuse’s arrest. Imana emphasized that the officer had disregarded court proceedings for over a year, while the other two defendants had consistently attended.
A.S. Usman, counsel for the first defendant, informed the court that discussions for an amicable settlement, initiated in a previous sitting, were still in progress. The second defendant, Victor Giwa, who appeared in person, supported this statement.
In her ruling, Justice Bature expressed her dissatisfaction with Erhunmuuse’s conduct, indicating that the court could no longer accept delays in the proceedings.
“The court is approaching its vacation time and cannot further delay the matter, including the order of arrest against the third defendant,” Justice Bature stated. “The court hereby issues a bench warrant to all law enforcement agencies for the arrest of the third defendant, wherever she may be found, for showing disobedience and disrespect to this court.”
The order was made under Section 352 of the ACJA 2015.
The court has adjourned the case until September 29 for the continuation of trial, cautioning that there would be no further excuses for non-appearance.
