Photo: Cletus Ibeto, Ibeto Group CEO.
Alleged N4.8bn fraud: Court orders arrest of Ibeto group boss
An Ikeja High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the CEO of Ibeto Group, Chief Cletus Ibeto, charged with a N4.8 billion fraud.
Justice Ismail Ijelu, issued the order on Friday following Ibeto’s non-appearance in court for the third consecutive time to take his plea.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 10-count charge against Ibeto, alongside his company, Ibeto Energy Development Company.
The Judge held that the defence lead counsel, Mr Daniel Awosika (SAN) did not adduce any cogent reason before the court regarding Ibeto’s absence.
“In the absence of any cogent excuse for not producing the defendant for arraignment, a bench warrant is hereby issued against the defendant,” he said.
The judge noted that the court did not exist for frivolities as it only existed for the dispensation of justice.
“It appears that the defence counsel decided to waste the time of the court.
“The court is the symbol of the state and not an object of ridicule.
“Although the senior counsel just appeared in this case today but two senior counsel have previously appeared and promised that the defendant would appear for his arraignment,” he said.
Earlier, The EFCC lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to stand down the matter for the defence counsel to produce the defendant.
Jacobs told the court that the defendant was in Lagos and the commission could have arrested him but it did not have the order of the court to do so.
“The defendant is in Lagos, My Lord, and I urge the court to stand down the matter in order to produce him today.
“Senior lawyers can not come to court and waste the time of the court.
“We urge the court to grant us warrant of arrest to enable us force the defendant to court,” Jacobs said.
The defence counsel, Awosika, however, urged the court not to grant the application for a bench warrant for the arrest of his client.
He also prayed the court to give him the last opportunity to produce the defendant in court, in the interest of justice.
“The defendant has an underlying sickness.
“I am craving My Lord’s indulgence to step down the application for a bench warrant for us to bring him to court,” he said.
The court had earlier in a ruling ordered the defendant to first take his plea before the preliminary objection filed by the defence.
The defence had in its preliminary objection challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
Justice Ijelu later adjourned the case until Nov. 15 for the arraignment of the defendant.
