Court orders arrest of Cross Country MD over alleged N82.8m theft


Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, today issued a bench warrant against the Managing Director (MD) of Cross Country Limited, Bube Okorodudu over his alleged refusal to show up before the court to take his plea over an alleged N82.8 million theft charge made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Others charged alongside the Cross Country boss includes his two companies, Cross Country Limited and Car Link Limited. Specifically, the judge directed the Nigerian Police to effect the arrest and produce the transport guru before the court on July 8, 2014 for arraignment.

The transporter and his two companies--- Cross Country Limited and Car Link Limited were charged to court by the EFCC. The defendants are facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and uttering.

The anti-graft agency had alleged that Okorodudu alongside others stole the said sum
through what it termed
the fraudulent sale of 17 units of Volkswagen transporter buses belonging to AG Moeller Limited and one Mr Adeloye Olukemi.

It would be recalled that Justice Akapo had on May 26, 2014 dismissed Okorodudu's application to quash the charge on the grounds that the court lacked the jurisdiction to do so and had ordered the defendants to appear in court on July 1 for their arraignment.

However at Tuesday's sitting on the matter, EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) called the court's attention to its
order, with a position that the non-presence of the defendants was a disobedience of the court's order.

According to Jacobs, "My Lord, the reason adduced for the absence of the first defendant (Okorodudu) is not cogent. We are therefore asking the court to issue a bench warrant against him so that he can be produced before the court to take his plea,"

But in his opposition, lawyer to the Cross Country MD, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), explained that his absence was as a result of an appeal filed against the court's ruling on May 26. The senior lawyer explained that the Notice of Appeal was already before the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division and that the record of proceedings had already been transferred to the appellate court. Clarke added that the defence was of the view that Okorodu's presence could be dispense with for hearing of the application.

Even, lawyer to Car Link and Cross Country Limited, Chief Ladi Williams (SAN), also asked the court not to issue the warrant on the same grounds. However in his ruling, Justice Akapo who had earlier refused Clarke's request to adjourn the matter indefinitely, held that no cogent reason was given for Okorodudu's absence.

Lawal-Akapo noted that the evidence before the court showed that Okorodudu was at the registry of the Ikeja high court on Tuesday morning. The court added that, "The first defendant appeared before the commissioner of oaths this morning (Tuesday) to deposed to two affidavits in support of his applications but did not deem it fit to appear before this court.

"It is abundantly clear that he is taking the court for a ride. The Law is not a respecter of any person." Justice Akapo added that the practice directive issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, had made it mandatory for courts to give accelerated hearing to criminal matters, with an addition that, "This matter is adjourned till July 8 and a bench warrant is hereby issued against the defendant.

"The defendant is to be arrested and produced before the court to take his plea."