N6.8bn Fraud: Court Orders Arrest Of NAMA MD

Justice Babs Kuewunmi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the arrest of the acting managing director of the National Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) Matthew Pwajok, for allegedly disobeying an order to appear before the court.

Justice Kuewunmi issued the bench warrant against Pwajok after one of the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) in the ongoing trial of a former managing director of NAMA, Ibrahim Abdulsalam and 11 others, accused of diverting N6.8 billion belonging to the agency, move an application to that effect.

Ojo, who represents the third and eighth defendants in the case, had told the judge that Pwajok refused to obey the order of the court to produce some documents needed for the defence of his client.

The lawyer also claimed in his application that the acting MD was served with the subpoena and a hearing notice on July 2, 2022, but he ignored the summons.

In a short ruling, Justice Kuewunmi ordered the commissioner of police, Lagos and the inspector-general of police (IGP) to ensure that Pwajok is arrested and brought to court at the next adjourned date.

The judge fixed January 10 and 11, 2023 for further hearing in the matter.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the defendants before the court on a 21-count charge of conspiracy, advanced fee fraud and money laundering.