FIJ
A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Hathiramani Ranesh, the managing director of Dana Air, for refusing to appear in an ongoing N1.3 billion fraud trial.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the judge presiding over the case, deemed Ranesh’s arrest necessary on Monday after he failed to appear in court despite being handed the charge and several proceedings on the case having taken place.
Egwuatu appealed to section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which permits the court to order a defendant’s arrest if they fail to attend court sessions.
“The 1st defendant is bound to appear before the court and if he does not, the court can issue a warrant for his arrest,” Nairametrics quoted Egwuatu.
“Accordingly, relying on the said provision, I hereby issue a warrant of arrest for the arrest of the 1st defendant.”
Egwuatu ruled that Ranesh must appear in court on January 13, 2025.
The judge adjourned the case to the same date.
BACKGROUND
Ranesh and two others face a six-count charge by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for alleged fraud and felony.
Count One of the charges stated that Ranesh and two others, who are still at large, allegedly committed a felony between September and December 2018 at the Dana Steel Rolling factory located in Katsina.
The second count stated that Ranesh and two others allegedly conspired to remove, convert and sell four units of industrial generators valued at N450 million.
Count Three alleged that Ranesh and his cohorts allegedly conspired to divert N864 million meant for the revitalisation of production at the Dana Steel Rolling factory in Katsina.
Another count of the charges claimed that the defendants diverted N60.3 million that were marked as part of Ecobank bond proceeds for the resumption of production at the Katsina factory to an Atlantic Shrimpers account.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN FIJ
