By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kabiru Turaki (SAN), over his failure to appear for arraignment in a criminal case instituted by the Police.
The trial judge, Justice U.P. Kekemeke, held that Turaki had no justification for his absence in court and consequently ordered his arrest.
Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs under President Goodluck Jonathan, is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police on a one-count charge of allegedly providing false information to the police in a petition dated October 2022.
The case had earlier come up on January 28 for arraignment, but was stalled due to the defendant’s absence, despite a prior court order directing him to appear.
At the proceedings, the prosecution urged the court to issue a bench warrant against the defendant for failing to honour the summons.
However, defence counsel informed the court that Turaki’s absence was due to a petition written to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court seeking the transfer of the case to another judge, citing a lack of confidence in the court.
Ruling on the issue, Justice Kekemeke held that the filing of a petition does not halt criminal proceedings unless there is a directive from the Chief Judge to that effect.
The judge subsequently granted the prosecution’s application and ordered that the defendant be arrested and produced before the court for arraignment.
The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.