Fake NYSC Exemption letter: Court order Police to Produce Sen. Ewhrudjakpo over evasion of Court order, non-appearance

Justice M.A.Sadiq of the Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja has ordered the police to arrest of Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, over alleged failure to appear before it after series of order over the alleged submission of a fake NYSC Exemption certificate.

The order for the arrest of Sen. Ewhrudjakpo, who represents Bayelsa West Senatorial Zone, was issued after his failure to appear in court after being summoned him over the pre-election suit filed against him by Mr. Benjamin Youdiowei, Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa.

In the warrant of arrest issued on the 27th of November, 2019, Justice Sadiq, ordered in the letter addressed to the Nigerian Police Force, that the police personnel should execute the order against Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo,” you are hereby directed to arrest and produce him before me.”

It would be recalled that the plaintiff had approached in the court in the suit numbered CR/385/19 with an allegation that Ewhrudjakpo, who presented a forged NYSC Exemption Certificate with code No: 139708 dated Feb. 2, 1998 on his nomination form to INEC. He also alleged that Ewhrudjakpo was still in possession of the document which he continued to use as part of his credentials.

He alleged that the defendant committed the offence of cheating, impersonation, forgery which were at variant with sections 363, 368, 366 and 324 of the Penal Code.

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At the resumed trial, Mr. Seidu Jibrin, Counsel for the plaintiff, told the court that the matter was fixed for hearing but expressed concerns that the defendant had consistently failed to honor the summons.

However, Mr Ijere A.O, Counsel to Ewhrudjakpo, apologized for the absence of the defendant adding that his client traveled out of the court’s jurisdiction. Ijere prayed the court to grant the defendant one more date to enable him appear.

Jibrin opposed the application of the defendant’s counsel and prayed the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure Sen. Ewhrudjakpo appears under section 352(1), 131 and 134 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Jibrin told the court that Ewhrudjakpo was aware of the case, adding that the defendant was duly served with the notice of sitting.

The counsel for the defendant, however, opposed the application of the complainant counsel and for warrant of arrest to be issued. He prayed to the court to grant his client one more grace in the interest of justice.

Delivering his ruling, the judge, Abubakar Sadiq held that the defendant was aware of the case but chose to stay away, “In the circumstances, I hereby issue a bench warrant against the defendant. I also order that the matter should be referred to the Wuse Police Station for further investigation,’’ he said

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