Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff; and Marine Transport, Senator Hope Uzodinma
A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court , Abuja , on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Senator Hope Uzodinma , accused of issuing N200 million dud cheque .
Uzodinma , a serving senator representing Imo -West , Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company , Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company , were charged with alleged issuance of N 200 million dud cheque to Chitex Ventures and Chima Akuzie.
The judge , Mr Abdulwahab Mohammed , said the defendant was absent on the last adjourned date of
September 11 , but his counsel , Eze Oguaju promised to make him available today , September 18 .
Mohammed issued a bench warrant against the defendant and entered a plea of not guilty for the other defendants , relying on Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act .
The section provides that a court shall order a plea of not guilty to be entered and the trial shall proceed as though the corporation involved had duly entered a plea of not guilty .
The judge adjourned the matter until September 25 for hearing .
Chitex Ventures Ltd and Chima Akuzie, the complainants , had made a Direct Criminal Complaint against the defendants over alleged issuance of a UBA N200 million dud cheque .
The complainant ’s counsel , Oluwatosin Ojaomo , had earlier urged the court to invoke the provisions of Section 131 of the ACJA against the defendant , by issuing a warrant of arrest against the defendant .
He further stated that the defendants were absent in court in spite the fact that they were aware of today ’s date , September 18 fixed for definite arraignment .
( NAN ).
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