The court orders the arrest of ex-NILS DG for ignoring the ICPC summons

A Federal High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja has ordered the arrest of the former Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Professor Ladi Hamalai.

The order stemmed from her failure to appear in the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission’s corruption case against her.

“The court, presided over by Justice CO Oba, on Monday, April 22, 2024, issued the warrant for the arrest of the professor after her repeated failure to appear in court,”

ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare announced the development in a statement on Thursday.

He noted that the Legal Adviser to the ICPC, Michael Adesola, had informed the court that it was the fourth consecutive time that the former NILS DG failed to honor the commission’s invitation to appear in the case after it had been duly served.

Bakare said: “In the charge sheet: FCT/HC/CR/312/23, the ICPC accuses Professor Hamalai of using her office to confer a corrupt advantage on herself by filing a demand for the sum of N12 million to boarding house to rent. for her office but used the amount to buy a property for herself in Gwarinpa area of ​​Abuja.

“The commission, in a four-count indictment, also accused the former DG of demanding another sum of N29 million for the conversion of the building as a government guesthouse.

“ICPC Prosecutor Michael Adesola told the court that the former DG was served with the arraignment order but was surprised that she was not present in court.”

On her part, counsel to Professor Hamalai, Olayemi Afolayan, informed the court that her client was ill, hence the absence.

Justice Oba, however, ruled that for failure to appear in court, the ICPC should procure the arrest of the former DG and make her appear in court on the next adjourned date.

The case was postponed until September 19, 2024.