A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Chimaroke Nnamani, former Governor of Enugu State.

Justice Chuka Obiozor issued the warrant on Monday, following Nnamani’s failure to appear in court for his corruption trial.

Nnamani was alleged to have embezzled N4.5 billion of Enugu State funds during his governorship tenure between 1999 and 2007.

He was first arraigned in 2007 alongside one of his aides, Sunday Anyaogu, but the charge was later amended to N5.3 billion

At Monday’s hearing, Nnamani’s lawyer informed the court that his client had undergone a heart surgery in the United States of America, and tendered pictures to support his claims.

However, the prosecution counsel told the court that the photographs tendered by Nnamani’s lawyer were taken in 2014 and can no longer be used as an excuse.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Obiozor said the defendant’s lawyer had not given any reasonable evidence as to why his client was absent in court.