Court Orders Arrest Of FCTA Director Over Alleged Land Fraud

An Abuja High Court sitting in Garki on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Director of Investigations and Prosecution of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Joseph Eriki, over his alleged involvement in a land fraud case.

Justice Suleiman Belgore ordered the arrest after Eriki failed to appear before the court to enter his plea in response to a nine-count charge filed by the Federal Government against him and 11 other defendants.

The charges, which relate to land fraud, involve the conspiracy to defraud Etha Ventures Limited of several plots of land, specifically plots 461 to 470 and 486 to 496 in Sabon Lugbe, East Layout, Abuja, between 2019 and 2024.

The Federal Government alleges that the defendants, including Eriki, used forged documents to unlawfully acquire the land, violating Section 366 of the Penal Code, 2009. The offence is punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.

In addition to Mr. Eriki, the other defendants in the case are: Boniface Agwu, Ikechukwu Kanu, Prince Isaac Omoluwa, Nwaimoneye Augustine Onyisi, Surajo Aliyu, Ogbole Michael, and five companies: Super Structure Limited, Bonatec Electrical Company Limited, Weatherfield Engineering Marine Services Limited, and Asher Information Services Limited.

The Federal Government accuses Eriki of intentionally falsifying information regarding the plots of land and submitting the forged documents to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

During the hearing, government prosecutor David Kaswe informed the court that the defendants were currently on administrative bail. He stated that while the defendants had been informed of the charges against them, all efforts to bring them to court for arraignment had been unsuccessful.

In response, Kaswe requested the court to issue a bench warrant under Section 124 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, to compel the defendants’ attendance.

Justice Belgore, after considering the application, ordered the arrest of the defendants and directed that they be produced before the court on June 4 for their arraignment.