Justice Eze Njemanze of the Imo State High Court has fixed July 11 for the arraignment of a former presiding judge of the Owerri Federal High Court of Appeal, Justice Ladan Tsamiya.
The head of public enlightenment of the ICPC in Imo State, Chinwe Nwozo, told journalists that the anti-graft agency had arraigned Tsamiya for allegedly demanding N200 million from a politician to influence an appeal case before his court.
She said, “We are arraigning Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya for asking for N200 million to influence an appeal. The appeal before him was an electoral matter and it was from a politician that he was demanding the money.”
“The court has asked us to come back on July 11 to enable us to arraign him. His absence frustrated his arraignment today. But I am happy that the court reprimanded him through his lawyer. Hopefully, we will arraign him on July 11.”
The absence of the Justice at the court on Friday in Owerri stalled his arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.
Counsel to the accused, David Adegbe had told the court that the accused had travelled abroad for medical treatment.
But the counsel for the ICPC, George Lawan, who opposed the defence counsel, said that the accused was taking the court for granted.
In his ruling, the presiding justice adjourned the matter until June 11 for the arraignment of the accused by the anti-graft agency.
The judge frowned upon Tsamiya’s absence in court, warning that if the accused failed to appear on July 11, he would issue a bench warrant against him.