Court Orders Arrest Of A Minna Based Foreign Construction Firm Chairman

The Senior Magistrate Court sitting in minna has issued a bench warrant for the re-arrest of one Charles Chukwura Chairman of a Foreign Construction firm Italworks Nigeria Limited for jumping bail.

The court had granted bail to the accused person about two weeks ago even when he did not appear before it on two occasions.

Charles Chukwura guarantor a woman may also forfeit the bond she entered into if she did not produce the accused person in court on the next adjournment date.

Senior Magistrate Abdulrahaman Idris declaration followed a presentation to the court by Police Prosecution officer Inspector Pius Asawa that the suspect had failed to appear in court on two previous occasions saying that the action was an attempt to ‘frustrate the hearing of the case’.

Inspector Asawa also said that neither the counsel nor guarantor of the accused person had shown up or given any reason for their absence in court actions that could amount to denial of justice.

The prosecutor also urged the court to join the two Police First Information Reports filed against the suspect because the first FIR led to the second alleged offence.

As a result
Senior Magistrate Abdirahaman Idris compounded the two FIRs to now read criminal breach of trust, cheating and destruction of documents to prevent production of same in evidence contrary to sections 312,322 and 166 of the penal code.

Charles Chukwura had been arrested by men of the Special Anti Robbery squad of the police for allegedly duping a Minna based firm Ebotes Nigeria Limited of N.5m.

According to the report Charles and Ital Works Nigeria collected the money on the claim that the company will be subcontracted to construct 50 housing units in a new Maikunkele Housing estate to be developed by Italworks Nigeria limited.

The report claimed that several months after neither did the job start nor the money refunded to the Minna based firm forcing Ebotes Nigeria Limited to report the case to the Police.

An attempt by the police to settle the case out of court also resulted in Mr Charles Chukwura destroying a ‘photocopy’ of cheque he presented to Ebotes Nigeria Limited as original but officials of SARS were able to retrieve the turn cheque from him.

• Eagle reporters