A FEDERAL High Court in Apo, Abuja, has ordered the arrest of the former Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Ladi Aisha Hamalai, over her failure to appear in the fraud case preferred against her by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The Court was presided over by a judge, C. O. Oba, who issued the bench warrant for the arrest on Monday, April 22, 2024, following her repeated failure to appear in court to defend herself.
The ICPC lawyer informed the court that it was the fourth consecutive time the accused had failed to honour the commission’s invitation to appear in the case, having been adequately served.
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According to the ICPC in the suit charge number FCT/HC/CR/312/23, the commission is accusing Hamalai of using her office to confer corrupt advantage upon herself by requesting the sum of N12 million to rent a guest house for her office but used the amount to purchase a property for herself at Gwarimpa area of Abuja.
In a four-count charge, the commission also accused the former DG of requesting another N29 million to furnish the building as a government guest house.
The ICPC prosecutor, Michael Adesola, told the court that the former Hamalai had been served the arraignment notice but was surprised she was not in court.
On her part, Hamalai’s counsel, Olayemi Afolayan, informed the court that her client was sick, the reason she was absent.
However, the judge ruled that having failed to appear in court, the ICPC should effect her arrest and produce her in court at the next adjourned date.
The matter has since been adjourned till September 9.
The NILDS is a capacity-building organisation of the National Assembly that offers technical assistance to Nigeria’s legislature and other democratic establishments. It was established under the Legislative Studies Act on March 2, 2011.
A reporter with the ICIR
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