Court Issues Warrant for Lawyer’s Arrest over Alleged $250,000 Fraud
Wale Igbintade
Justice Y.S Bogoro of the federal high court, in Lagos has issued a warrant for the arrest of a legal practitioner, Ismailia Amhed Olokun for failure to appear in court for trial over alleged $250,000 fraud.
Justice Bogoro, who issued the warrant, ordered the operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to arrest Olokun in any part of the country and bring him to court to face criminal charges filed against him.
Olokun ,who is facing criminal trial bordering on false pretence with intent to defraud, fraudulent conversion and issuance of dud cheques was granted bail on the January 19 ,2022 but repeatedly refused to appear in court for trial.
All efforts made by the Law Firm representing the Defendant to ensure his appearance before the Court remain futile.
Consequently, Justice Bogoro invoked a provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA 2015 and ordered security operatives across the country to arrest the legal practitioner anywhere he is found and bring him to court.
The Judge directed that Olokun be detained by security operatives until he is brought before the court.
The Defendant was arraigned on a five (5) count charge for offences hinging on false pretence with intent to defraud, fraudulent conversion and issuance of dud cheques all offences punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 390 (8) (b) of the Criminal Code Act Cap. C38 LFN 2004 and Section 1 (a-b) (i) of the Dishonored (Cheques) offences Act, Cap. D11 LFN 2004.
According to the charge filed before the court, the defendant sometime in 2019, allegedly defrauded Edward and Jones Contracting Services Limited to the tune of $250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) equivalent of N88,912,932 (Eighty-Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira Only) under the guise of being the escrow agent between Septegram Investment Limited, TerraGen Energy Solutions Limited and Edward Jones Contracting Services Limited.
Following the issuance of warrant of arrest anyone with useful information about Barrister. Ismailia Olokun, may contact the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police Force, No 14 Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos or any of the nearest Police Station.
