Court orders arrest of Adamawa lawmaker

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Yola has ordered the arrest of Simon Isa, the lawmaker representing Song Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly over failure to appear before the court.
The Magistrate, Daniel John, gave the order on Wednesday following the refusal of the lawmaker to appear before the court for allegedly cheating a businessman of N490,000.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Magistrate ordered the arrest of the lawmaker after confirming from the court registrar that he was personally served with the court summons in the criminal trial.
John said the lawmaker had no reason not to appear before the court.
He said: “The Court Registrar has testified before the court that he personally served Mr. Simon Isa with summons to appear before the court on Wednesday, 12 February.
“Since there is evidence that Simon Isa was duly served, the law is no respecter of anybody.”
He described the action of the lawmaker as contempt of the court and ordered for his arrest.
According to the criminal summons marked CMC/9462/2019, Isa on February 20, 2014 bought a 25KVA DENYO generator at N2,490,000, but paid N2 million with an outstanding balance of N490,000.
The charge said all efforts to get the balance of the money since then had failed.
The act, the charge said, was tantamount to cheating and contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa State.
Earlier when the case was called, Chief Godwin Ehimakhoi, Counsel to the complainant, said there was evidence that the defendant was duly served, but neither the defendant nor his counsel was in court.
Ehimakhoi urged the court to use its discretion in addressing the issue.
The case was adjourned to the February 18, for further mention.