Innocent Chukwuma, chairman of
Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, says he was declared wanted in bad faith.
Mojisola Dada, a judge, declared
him wanted on Thursday over his failure to make an appearance in court for his
arraignment for the fifth time.
Chukwuma is standing trial in a
matter between his company and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
He had failed to appear in court
for his arraignment on January 17, February 9, March 14 and April 25.
Reacting to the development,
Chukwuma accused the judge of trying to “embarrass” him.
“I have expressly stated before
that I am not afraid of arraignment but must be arraigned through due process
of the law,” he said in the statement issued by Cornel Osigwe, head, corporate
communications, Innoson Group.
He said he had challenged the
jurisdiction of the Lagos state high court to hear the forgery charge filed by
the EFCC on ground of, inter alia, the charge being an “abuse of process.”
“Furthermore, my legal counsel
had at the last court hearing on April 25th 2018 notified the court that I had
challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit at the court of
appeal, Lagos division and that the prosecuting counsels which are the EFCC has
equally filed their brief at the appellate court. The judge subsequently
adjourned the hearing to today, May 24th 2018,” the statement added.
“At the court hearing today, my
defence team, also, notified the judge that both parties have filed and
exchanged their briefs at the court of appeal and a date has been fixed for
hearing of the substantive appeal and prayed the honourable judge to defer to
the court of appeal to decide the appeal which is on the jurisdiction of the
court to hear the suit.
“Again, my legal team notified
the trial court that I had appealed against the order of bench warrant of 9th
February 2018 to the court of appeal and as well filed a motion for stay of
execution of the order of bench warrant.
“However, the judge failed to
grant the prayers of my legal counsel and quickly granted the plea of the
prosecuting counsel to declare me wanted without recourse to due process of the
law or listen to the submissions of my counsel on why an order declaring me
wanted should not be made.
“Declaring me wanted was done in
bad faith and is simply to embarrass my personality, defame me and malign my
character aimed to distract me from my daily activities in ensuring that
Innoson Vehicles continues to produce durable made in Nigeria vehicles.”
He added added that while he is
insisting on being tried through the due process of the law, “I have also
appealed against the order declaring me wanted and as well filed a motion for
the stay of its execution.”
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