N200m dud cheque:Court orders Hope Uzodinma’s arrest

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Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff; and Marine Transport, Senator Hope Uzodinma
A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court , Abuja , on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Senator Hope Uzodinma , accused of issuing N200 million dud cheque .
Uzodinma , a serving senator representing Imo -West, Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company, Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company, were charged with alleged issuance of N200 million dud cheque to Chitex Ventures and Chima Akuzie .
The judge, Mr Abdulwahab Mohammed , said the defendant was absent on the last adjourned date of September 11 , but his counsel, Eze Oguaju promised to make him available today, September 18 .
Mohammed issued a bench warrant against the defendant and entered a plea of not guilty for the other defendants , relying on Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act .
The section provides that a court shall order a plea of not guilty to be entered and the trial shall proceed as though the corporation involved had duly entered a plea of not guilty .
The judge adjourned the matter until September 25 for hearing .
Chitex Ventures Ltd and Chima Akuzie , the complainants , had made a Direct Criminal Complaint against the defendants over alleged issuance of a UBA N200 million dud cheque .
The complainant ‘s counsel , Oluwatosin Ojaomo , had earlier urged the court to invoke the provisions of Section 131 of the ACJA against the defendant, by issuing a warrant of arrest against the defendant .
He further stated that the defendants were absent in court in spite the fact that they were aware of today’ s date , September 18 fixed for definite arraignment .

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