Friday, October 31, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
Newsroom Nigeria
  • Home
  • News
    • Across the Nation
    • Crime Watch
    • Metro
    • Political Arena
  • Politics
  • Opinions
  • Crime and Court
    • Judiciary
  • Business
    • Banking
    • Business and Economy
    • Business Life
No Result
View All Result
Newsroom Nigeria
ADVERTISEMENT
Home JUDICIARY

Alleged N4.8bn Fraud : Why Court Issued Bench Warrant for Arrest of Cletus Ibeto

Ikpeazu, while seeking an adjournment, had told the court that “the law is not a respecter of any person

Newsroom Nigeria by Newsroom Nigeria
November 4, 2023
in JUDICIARY, News
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Related posts

Nigeria To host IPI Africa Meeting

Nigeria To host IPI Africa Meeting

October 26, 2025
FG CLARIFIES STREAMLINED ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS SAYS ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS REMAIN COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND SIT FOR BY ALL O’LEVEL STUDENTS

FG CLARIFIES STREAMLINED ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS SAYS ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS REMAIN COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND SIT FOR BY ALL O’LEVEL STUDENTS

October 19, 2025

Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, November 3, 2023, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a businessman;  Chief Cletus Ibeto,  for failing to appear in court for his arraignment over an alleged N4.8bn fraud.

The Judge had, on October  5, 2023, adjourned till November 3, 2023,  the arraignment of Ibeto alongside Ibeto Energy Development Company and Odoh Holdings on  10-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences, fraudulent conversion of property, criminal breach of trust, forgery and deception, following an application and appeal by his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN.

Ikpeazu, while seeking an adjournment, had told the court that “the law is not a respecter of any person. I am of the firm view that this is a matter that can be resolved; and if given some time, it can be resolved.”  The defence counsel further told the court that he had no medical report with him, in court, to explain the absence of the defendant, adding that the issue at stake was one that could be resolved between the complainant and the defendants.

Responding, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, said though plea bargain was encouraged even in criminal matters, “the EFCC gave them the opportunity to go and resolve their differences, but they did not seize the opportunity, even before the charges were filed. “There should be an arraignment first before the court will assume jurisdiction to do anything”, he said.

After listening to both parties, Justice Ijelu, at the last sitting,   expressed concerns that the defence counsel seemed to be trying to deceive the court. The Judge held that defendant could not  be shielded from coming to court and adjourned till November 3, 2023 for arraignment of the defendants.

However, at Friday’s  proceedings, Ibeto was, again, absent in court.
Jacob, who informed the court that the matter was for arraignment, recalled that the defendants had been absent at previous sittings on September 28, and October 5, 2023.
  “Your lordship will recall that on the 28th of September 2023, this matter came up for arraignment and my friend, Okoko, SAN appeared for the defendants and pleaded with my lord for adjournment till 5th of October 2023 to enable him produce the defendant.

Your lordship graciously granted the request. On the 5th of October , my learned brother silk, Ikpeazu, SAN, came and represented the defendants and also pleaded with your lordship for adjournment on the grounds that he wanted to talk to the prosecution to do plea bargain, and your lordship insisted that the defendant, whatever step to be taken, must be present in court. Today, the learned senior advocate did not appear. They now brought another counsel to, again, say that he is not in court”, he said.

Counsel for the defendants, D.A. Awosika, SAN, who apologized for the absence of his client, said that the defendant had an underlying ailment. He said: “I am not here to grandstand and I am not here to disrespect the court.  The defendants will always come before the court to take their pleas.  However, the position of the law is that when you have a criminal proceedings, it is bifurcated into two: there are proceedings before plea is taken; and there proceedings after plea is taken.”  He, thereafter, argued that the defence had an application before the court challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
Citing several references, he argued that the application ought to be heard before the plea could be taken.  “He is not running away from the court. He is not disrespecting the court. I am urging my lord to allow the defence to move its application challenging jurisdictiction”, he said. 
Responding, Jacob noted that a similar argument was canvassed by the previous counsel, adding that  “your lordship said that you will not take any objection until the court assumes jurisdiction first and sees that the arraignment takes place. It is then other applications can be taken”. 
He said, the references adduced by the defence, “were before the advent of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, particularly at the Federal level, and adopted by the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law as amended.”  Citing Section 374 of the ACJL Lagos State as amended, he argued that the defendant had to take his plea before the defendant could make any application or objection to the charges.
After listening to all the arguments, Justice Ijelu, in a terse ruling, held that the defendant must take his plea before any application could be taken. “The notice of preliminary objection filed in this case as referred by the defence counsel is challenging the jurisdiction of the court. The law is that jurisdictional issues can be raised at any time in the proceedings.  However , the court is of the view that the question of jurisdiction should not be employed to delay the dispensation of justice.  From the record of this court, it appears evident that an attempt is being made to shield the defendant from arraignment in this case under so many disguises. In the circumstance, the court holds that defendants have to take their pleas and thereafter bring their objection, which the court should consider along with the substantive issues and a ruling made”, he said.

Thereafter, Jacobs applied to the court for the issuance of a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant.  Awosika told the court that the defendant was old and had underlying health issues. He, therefore, raised an objection to the application,  arguing that “there’s no basis for the bench warrant.”

The court, however, held that there was no cogent reason placed before the court for the continuous absence of the defendant.
The objection of the defence to the application for a bench warrant was, thereafter, dismissed by the trial judge.

Justice Ijelu held that “ The application for bench warrant succeeds, and this case is further adjourned till November 15, 2023 for arraignment.”

 

ShareTweetSendShareShare
Previous Post

Unity Bank Earns N38.2 Billion  in Q3’23

Next Post

KADUNA GOV. DIRECTS PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING DEBT TO RESTORE  POWER TO VARSITY CAMPUSES

Related Posts

Nigeria To host IPI Africa Meeting
Media and Press

Nigeria To host IPI Africa Meeting

October 26, 2025
FG CLARIFIES STREAMLINED ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS SAYS ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS REMAIN COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND SIT FOR BY ALL O’LEVEL STUDENTS
Education/Human Capital

FG CLARIFIES STREAMLINED ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS SAYS ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS REMAIN COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND SIT FOR BY ALL O’LEVEL STUDENTS

October 19, 2025
Viewpoint: Olumhense’s Hot Air against EFCC, By Tony Egbulefu  
JUDICIARY

Witness Narrates How Bishop Katung Lured him into ₦178m Investment Scam

October 17, 2025
Olukoyede Tasks Media, CSOs on Greater Commitment to Anti-Graft War
Corruption Crusade

Olukoyede Tasks Media, CSOs on Greater Commitment to Anti-Graft War

October 17, 2025
FG, GenCos Finalise Implementation Framework for ₦4 Trillion Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan
Business and Economy

FG, GenCos Finalise Implementation Framework for ₦4 Trillion Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan

October 14, 2025
Lagos Speaker Celebrates Seyi Tinubu at 40
News

Lagos Speaker Celebrates Seyi Tinubu at 40

October 13, 2025
Next Post

KADUNA GOV. DIRECTS PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING DEBT TO RESTORE  POWER TO VARSITY CAMPUSES

RECOMMENDED NEWS

Viewpoint: Baba Obasanjo and the NNPCL Refineries, By Simbo Olorunfemi

10 months ago

NEWLY APPOINTED UNILORIN VC PLEDGES TO BE “FAIR TO ALL”

3 years ago

Wiewpoint: Why Governors Should Align with President Tinubu on LG Autonomy

1 year ago

Oyo, Water Aid Set To Sign New MoU on Access to Portable Water

2 years ago

FOLLOW US

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

POPULAR NEWS

  • TINUBU SIGNS  FOUR TAX BILLS INTO LAW TO TRANSFORM FISCAL, REVENUE FRAMEWORK

    BREAKING: TINUBU CHANGES SERVICE CHIEFS

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SOUTH WEST GOVERNORS, STAKEHOLDERS RALLY FOR POWER DEVOLUTION, REGIONAL GROWTH AT PARLEY IN ONDO

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • VIEWPOINT: HERE IS THE CURRICULUM VITAE OF NEW SERVICE CHIEFS

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • PRESIDENT TINUBU SIGNS INSTRUMENT OF CLEMENCY AND PARDONS, MOVES SECRETARIAT OF PREROGATIVE OF MERCY COMMITTEE TO JUSTICE MINISTRY

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Runsewe Bags ‘Pillar of Niverian Tourism and Culture’ Award

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
Newsroom Nigeria

The NEWSROOM NIGERIA is an independent, liberal on – line news platform committed to the right of the individual to pursue his economic happiness, without undue interference of the state. It shall promote the rights of the individual; right to freedom of worship and conscience, and to hold opinions and impact same without hindrance, subject to such laws are as consistent with the constitution and necessary for the protection of the rights of others.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact

© 2025 Newsroom Nigeria - Designed by Semasir Connect.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Across the Nation
    • Crime Watch
    • Metro
    • Political Arena
  • Politics
  • Opinions
  • Crime and Court
    • Judiciary
  • Business
    • Banking
    • Business and Economy
    • Business Life

© 2025 Newsroom Nigeria - Designed by Semasir Connect.