Court threatens to arrest Kwara Rep, Ndakene over certificate fraud

Justice M. Inuwa of Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has threatened to issue arrest warrant against a serving federal lawmaker representing Edu/Moro/Patigi constituency, Ahmed Abubakar Ndakene, for his absence in a certificate forgery suit against him.

Ndakene is alleged to be involved in certificate forgery and was summoned to appear before the Court for criminal breach of section 88(1), 89(3) and 109c of the administrative criminal justice act of 2015.

The complainant, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the election that saw Ndakene emerge winner, Mahmud Hassan Babako, alleged that the assertion by the lawmaker that he has a B.Sc in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is false and added that he must have forged the documents.

In a court paper dated March 3 which was received by Ndakene on March 20, the court ordered Ndakene to appear in person as a defendant in the trial on March 26, but he failed to appear.

The case resumed on May 27, 2020, but he was again absent in court; although his counsel, Mary Obaong, represented him.

His absence stalled the trial, as Obong, who was present in court, could not take his plea.

The judge said he would issue bench warrant if the defendant fails to appear in court to take his plea on the next adjourned date of June 3, 2020, following the application filed by the prosecution.