The federal high court in Abuja has cautioned Andy Uba, former senator for Anambra South, that a bench warrant will be issued against him if he fails to appear in court on October 28 to face N400 million fraud charges.
Gatekeepers News reports that Uba and his co-defendant, Benjamin Etu, are accused of conspiring to defraud businessman George Uboh of N400 million under false pretences. While Etu was present in court on Wednesday, Uba was absent.
Prosecuting counsel, Aminu Abdullahi, representing the inspector-general of police, asked the court to exercise its power under section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
He said, “My lord, we cannot fold our arms and continue this way. We will be applying for a bench warrant under section 394 of ACJA, 2015, against the 1st defendant.”
Abdullahi argued that Uba’s repeated absence since the case was filed in 2024 was stalling proceedings. He added that the conduct “had shown a disrespect to the court.”
However, Uba’s lawyer, C.F. Odiniru, opposed the request, saying his client was ill and currently undergoing treatment in the United States.
He told the court, “We apologise for the absence of the first defendant (Uba), who is unavoidably absent due to illness”, adding that medical documents had been provided earlier in the day, as directed.
Odiniru further said, “These applications for bench warrants, my lord, are made for an absconding suspect and not for a person like the first defendant. Section 37 of the ACJA says if you are interested in a bench warrant, you should go by oath.”
Abdullahi, however, dismissed the defence. He said, “ He is just reprobating and approbating, my lord. He didn’t make any attempt to call me for anything, my lord, because he knows that what he is holding is not acceptable.”
Justice Mohammed Umar, who now presides over the case following the suspension of Justice Inyang Ekwo, warned that the court would not tolerate further delays.
“He told Odiniru, “So, what you are saying is that we are going to remain this way even if it will take 10 years? Have you seen where a person has been brought to court on a stretcher? I will give you the last opportunity.”
The case has been adjourned to October 28 for Uba’s arraignment and plea.
The charges, amended in March 2025, allege that Uba, Etu, and one Hajiya Fatima (now at large) conspired in 2022 to obtain N400 million by claiming they could facilitate the appointment of a managing director for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
According to the charge sheet, a presentation which you know is not true and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
