Cuma Nzeribe: Court issues arrest warrant against ex-lawmaker

A  High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja has issued a warrant of arrest against a former House of Representatives member, Chief Chuma Nzeribe.

The warrant was issued against the ex-lawmaker for disobedience to the order of the court.

The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other security agencies of government have been ordered by Justice Halilu Yusuf, who issued a warrant of arrest for Nzeribe in any part of the country.

Nzeribe is also to be brought to court to face judgment in criminal charges against him.

The judgment in the trial was fixed for March 11, by Justice Yusuf. The former lawmaker was however absent in court.

His absence on March 11, forced the court to grant a request to shift the judgment to March 21.

However, at a resumed sitting on Monday, Nzeribe was conspicuously absent in court without a cogent reason, a situation that angered Justice Yusuf.

Following the request of the EFCC, the court had to invoke the relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA 2015 and ordered security operatives across the country to arrest the former federal lawmaker in anywhere he is found and bring him to court.

The Judge ordered that Nzeribe be detained by security operatives until he is brought before the court.

“That you Hon. Chuma Nzeribe sometime in March 2013 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your possession a document containing false pretence to wit: Re: Application for Statutory Right of Occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with reference Number MFCT/LA/FCT 1302 dated 18/06/03, bearing the name of Ramatu Alhassan and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6, 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

“That you Hon. Chuma Nzeribe sometime in 2005 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently make a false document to wit: Re: Application for Statutory Right of Occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with reference number MFCT/LA/FCT 1302 dated 18/06/03, bearing the name of Ramatu Alhassan ‘and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.

“That you Hon. Chuma Nzeribe sometime in 2005, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did use as genuine a document to wit: Re: Application for Statutory Right of Occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with reference Number MFCT/LA/FCT 1302 dated 18/06/03, bearing the name of Ramatu Alhassan and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.

 “That you, Hon. Chuma Nzeribe sometime in 2007 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did cheat by Personation, by representing yourself to be Ramatu Alhassan opposite Gwagwa Market AMAC, Gwagwa Village Abuja and thereby committed an office contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under section 324 of the same Act.”