The factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kabiru Saminu Turaki, SAN, has appealed against the order of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama which granted a bench warrant against him on a charge of giving false information to the police in a petition he wrote as a private citizen in 2022.
The warrant of arrest was granted due of his absence in court Thursday when the case was to be heard.
The said petition was written in 2022, and the case emanating therefrom was charged to court Thursday, but sources close to Turaki was to attend to his doctors on appointment at the hospital, resulting in his absence from the court.
Also, his lawyers, according to Ibrahim Abdulahi, Esq, Turaki’s Principal Private Secretary, the factional chairman had filed an application seeking to quash the charge, which ordinarily would not require his presence.
“With the issuance of the bench warrant, his lawyers have immediately filed an appeal and application for the stay of execution against the said order,” he stated.
He also added that the “matter is completely unrelated to the Peoples Democratic Party or the contemporary issues therefrom, external political influence cannot be completely exorcised from it.
“We urge all party members to remain calm as Turaki’s legal team is effectively handling the situation,” he said.
Justice Keke Meke, the presiding Judge on the matter also refused an application by the defence counsel seeking to quash the charges against the defendant.
Turaki is to be arraigned before the court by the Nigeria Police Force, led by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), over allegations of providing false information to the police.
Earlier, the matter had been assigned to a High Court sitting in Zuba. However, Turaki failed to appear in court to take his plea.
Subsequently, his legal team filed a petition against the judge and requested that the case be reassigned.
In his ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Meke held that there was no justification for the defendant’s absence, noting that Turaki was fully aware of the court proceedings. The judge therefore ordered his arrest.
During the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rabiu Umar, opposed the application by defence counsel, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, who had urged the court to quash the charges.
The matter has been adjourned to April 22 for arraignment. (With Agency Reports)
