The trial of billionaire businessman, Cletus Ibeto, alongside his company, Ibeto Energy Development Company, yesterday, at a Lagos High Court session in Ikeja, the proceedings faced yet another obstacle when he failed to appear for the third time.
As a result of this development, the court warned that it would issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest should he fail to appear on the next scheduled date.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought forth a 10-count charge against Ibeto, to be heard before Justice Ismail Ijelu.
The alleged offenses encompass obtaining pretenses, fraudulent conversion of property, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and deception.
The anti-graft commission asserts that these offenses violate Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act of 2006 and Sections 365(3d) and (e), as well as 366 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State in 2015.
During the recent hearing, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the counsel representing the EFCC, informed the court that the case had been adjourned from September 28, 2023, to the present date due to the defendant’s absence.
Jacobs stated that the court adjourned the case upon the defendants’ request to appear for arraignment yesterday.
The defendant’s counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), acknowledged that he did not possess a medical report in court to account for the defendant’s absence. He emphasized that the matter in question could be settled through discussions between the complainant and the defendants.
Jacobs concurred, affirming that plea bargains are encouraged even in criminal cases. However, he pointed out that the EFCC had extended an opportunity for them to reconcile their differences, which they did not seize, even before the charges were filed.
Upon hearing arguments from both parties, the judge said: “The court believes that when counsel, senior counsel at that, appear before the court and inform the court that an action will be taken and based on that adjournment was sought, it is the view of the court that the action must be taken.
“The court exists for strict business and does not want to believe that the learned senior counsel deceived the court by taking adjournment at the last date, and pleaded passionately that he would bring the medical report today, and that whatever happens, he will be here today.
Justice Ijelu adjourned the case to November 3, 2023, for arraignment and threatened to issue a bench warrant against the defendant if he failed to appear in court on the next adjourned date.