Lagos Chief Judge recalls Chukwuma’s case file

chika ebuzor

June 23, 2018 11:34 AM

According to Innoson’s spokesman, Cornel Osigwe, the action was based on a letter written by Chukwuma’s counsel.

The Honorable Chief Judge of Lagos State has recalled the Case file Chief Dr Innocent Chukwuma (OFR) from Hon Justice Dada’s Court.

According to Innoson’s spokesman, Cornel Osigwe, the action was based on a letter written by Chukwuma’s counsel, Chief G.N. Uwechue (SAN).

Uwechue had on June 21, 2018, petitioned the Lagos Chief Judge requesting for the withdrawal of the case file from Justice Dada.

The counsel also requested that the case be reassigned to another Judge based on a directive by the National Judicial Council (NJC) that the case file be returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment to another Judge, Osigwe explains.

Innoson’s spokesman, in a statement issued to newsmen also said “It should be recalled that Chief Chukwuma had on 12th Feb, 2018 wrote a petition to the Chairman, National Judicial Council, The Chief Justice of Nigeria requesting it to investigate the circumstances leading to Hon. Mojisola Dada of Lagos State High Court issuing a bench warrant against him and ordering his arrest.

“In response the National Judicial Council requested the Chief Judge of Lagos State to recall the case file from Justice Dada’s Court for reassignment to another judge.

“Justice Dada had on 9th Feb 2018 issued a bench warrant against Chief Chukwuma because of his failure to appear for arraignment on the said date. However, counsel to Chief Chukwuma, Prof McCarthy Mbadugha repeatedly informed the Judge that Chief Chukwuma was never served with the information and therefore couldn’t have appeared before the court and that the prosecuting counsel confirmed to the court on the proceedings of 9th February 2018 that the prosecution has not served Chief Chukwuma, yet the trial court issued a Bench Warrant against him and as well ordered for his arrest.”

Osigwe also added that “Mbadugha called the attention of the Judge to the notice of pendency dated the 31st day of January 2018 and filed in the court’s registry of pending applications at the Court of Appeal to stay commencement of proceedings in the charge and to as well stay the execution or giving effect to the Court’s order of 17th January 2018 that Chief Chukwuma be served through his counsel in the open court.

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“The counsel also called the attention of the Judge to a notice of preliminary objection filed on 15th January 2018 challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge on the basis of the charge being an abuse of process. Furthermore the Counsel drew the attention of the judge to the motion on notice of 5th day Feb, 2018 but filled on 7th February praying the court to disqualify itself from further conducting the proceedings in the charge. However the Judge failed to consider any of these applications or motions and went ahead to order that Chief Chukwuma be arrested and kept in custody.”

In May 2018, Justice Mojisola Dada of the special offences court sitting in Lagos, declared the Chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, Innocent Chukwuma wanted over his failure to make an appearance in court for his arraignment.

chika ebuzor