The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday asked a Lagos High court sitting in Ikeja for a bench warrant for the arrest of the Chairman of Cross Country boss, Chief Bube Okorodudu.
The request was sequel to the failure of the defendant to appear in court for his trial the second time.
At the resumed hearing of his trial on Monday before the court presided by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, counsel to the EFCC, Emmanuel Jackson asked the court to issue a bench warrant against the defendant.
The EFCC contended that for two occasions, Okorodudu failed to show up in court to take his plea on the charges filed against him.
Counsel to Okorodudu, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) however objected to the application for bench warrant against his client.
Chief Clarke insisted that there is a subsisting application by his client challenging the jurisdiction of the court on the charges preferred against Okorodudu by the EFCC.
He argued that the proper procedure was for the court to first resolve the issue of jurisdiction before ruling on EFCC’s application for bench warrant.
Chief Clarke submitted that the court cannot make pronouncement on a case where its jurisdiction is still been challenged.
After listening to both counsel, Justice Lawal-Akapo directed the two counsels to provide the court with relevant authorities to assist him in his ruling on the issue.
He subsequently adjourned the matter till April 8, 2014 for ruling.
The EFCC had charged Okorodudu before the court over his alleged involvement in a N82.9 million theft.
The commission alleged that Okorodudu and his company stole a sum of N82.9m which was the sales proceeds of 17 units of Volkswagen transporter buses belonging to AG Moeller Limited.
In the charge signed Mr. Francis Usani, the commission had alleged that Okorodudu stole the money from AG Moeller between February 13, 2008 and August 14, 2009.
The EFCC claimed the buses were fraudulently sold to GMT Nigeria Limited; Multichoice Nigeria Limited; and Law Union and Rock/TFS Finance Limited.
Okorodudu was said to have forged a document titled, ‘Nigeria Customs Service Motor Vehicle Duty Certicificate’ with number A008911777 to facilitate the alleged stealing.
The alleged stealing offence contravenes Section 390 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17 Vol. 2 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
EFCC further claimed that other offences of forgery and uttering violated provisions of Sections 467 and 468 of the same law, respectively.