A Federal High sitting in Apo, Abuja has ordered the arrest of the former Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Professor Ladi Hamalai.
The order was a result of her failure to appear in the corruption case preferred against her by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
“The court, presided over by Justice C. O. Oba issued the bench warrant on Monday, April 22, 2024, for the arrest of the Professor following her repeated failure to show up in the court,”
The spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare, revealed the development in a statement on Thursday.
He noted that the ICPC legal counsel, Michael Adesola, had informed the court that it was the fourth consecutive time that the former NILS DG failed to honour the commission’s invitation to appear in the case having been properly served.
Bakare said, “In the suit charge number: FCT/HC/CR/312/23, the ICPC is accusing Professor Hamalai of using her office to confer corrupt advantage upon herself by making a request for the sum of N12million to rent a guest house for her office but used the amount to purchase a property for herself at Gwarinpa area of Abuja.
The commission, in a four-count charge also accused the former DG of requesting another sum of N29 million for the furnishing of the building as a government guest house.
ICPC prosecutor, Michael Adesola told the court that the former DG was served the arraignment notice but was surprised she was not in court.”
On her part, counsel to Professor Hamalai, Olayemi Afolayan, informed the court that her client was sick, hence the absence.
Justice Oba however ruled that having failed to appear in court, the ICPC should effect the arrest of the former DG and produce her in court at the next adjourned date.
The matter was adjourned till September 19, 2024.
