A Lagos High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a defendant, Ibukun Fakaye, who allegedly failed to appear before the court to answer charges of forgery and fraud totaling N100 million.

Justice Serifat Sonaike issued the order of arrest following an application by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Morufu Animashaun, a Legal officer in the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID).

The police, through the office of Inspector-General, had dragged the defendant before the court in a charge marked LD/18274c/2022, on a two-count of forgery and fraud.

Animashaun told the court that the defendant, a resident of D. 16, Ekoland, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, had consistently refused to appear before the court since the charge was filed and served on him, adding that without an order of court for the arrest of the defendant, he will never attend court to take his plea on the charges.

The judge, after listening to the submissions of the prosecutor, ordered the issuance of a bench warrant of arrest against the defendant and adjourned to September 21, 2022, for the defendant’s arraignment.

Animashaun, in the charge filed against the defendant, stated that the defendant, sometimes, in January 2022, forged the signature of one late Honourable S. A. Banjo, the family Head of Oguntade Royal family and the family’s letterhead paper, with the intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine.

The defendant was also accused of stealing the sum of N100 million belonging to Oguntade Royal family.