Arraignment of billionaire businessman, Cletus Ibeto, alongside his company, Ibeto Energy Development Company, at a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, suffered another setback as he was absent in court for the third time.
Following the development, the court threatened to issue warrant of arrest against the defendant, if he fails to show up on the next adjourned date.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 10-count charge against Ibeto before Justice Ismail Ijelu.
His alleged offences border on obtaining by pretences, fraudulent conversion of property, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and deception.
The anti-graft commission said his offences contravene the provision of Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006 and Section 365(3d) and (e), 366 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
When the matter was called, the EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the case was adjourned on September 28, 2023 to yesterday,
following the absence of the defendant.
Jacobs said the court adjourned the matter based on the application of the defendants, for them to appear yesterday for arraignment.
The defendant counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), while admitting that he had no medical report with him in court to explain the absence of the defendant, stressed that the issue at stake was one that could be resolved between the complainant and the defendants.
Jacobs responded that he agreed that plea bargain is encouraged even in criminal matters. He however said that the EFCC gave them the opportunity to go and resolve their differences and that they did not seize the opportunity, even before the charges were filed.
After listening to both sides, the judge said: “The court believes that when counsel, senior counsel at that, appear before the court and inform the court that an action will be taken and on the basis of that adjournment was sought, it is the view of the court that the action must be taken.
“The court exists for strict business and does not want to believe that the learned senior counsel deceived the court by taking adjournment at the last date, and pleaded passionately that he would bring the medical report today, and that whatever happens, he will be here today.
Justice Ijelu adjourned the case to November 3, 2023 for arraignment and threatened to issue a bench warrant against the defendant if he failed to appear on court the next adjourned date.
