A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench arrest warrant for Dana Air’s managing director (MD), Hathiramani Ranesh, for failing to appear for trial.
Mr Ranesh, Dana Group Plc, Dana Steel Ltd, and others are facing six counts of fraud.
In count one, Ranesh and the two companies, together with others at large, were accused of committing a felony on the premises of the DANA Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina between September and December 2018.
They were alleged to have conspired to remove, convert and sell four units of industrial generators “i.e. three (3) units Ht of 9,000 KVA and 1 unit of 1,000 KVA; all valued at over N450 million, which form part of the Deed of Asset Debenture that were charged as collateral security for a bond issued in your favour, which Deed is still subsisting at all material times.”
Ruling on Monday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu said Ranesh’s arrest was necessary following his refusal to appear in court after he was served with the charge and several proceedings taken in the matter.
“The defendant shall appear before this court on 13th of January, 2025, before any objection can be taken,” he said.
On October 10, the Federal Government through its lawyer Mojisola-Okeya Esho asked the court to issue a bench warrant for Ranesh’s arrest.
Esho argued that Ranesh refused to appear for his arraignment in the alleged N1.3 billion fraud preferred against him by the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).
But the defence lawyer B. Ademola-Bello argued that he filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.