Subsidy Fraud Trial: EFCC Obtains Bench Warrant To Arrest Seun Ogunbambo On Sight

The trial of notorious oil marketer and serial fraud suspect, Seun Ogunbambo went one step forward today as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a bench warrant for his arrest.  

But the day began with yet another setback after Mr. Ogunbambo failed to show up in court when the case was called. Consequent upon his absence, the EFCC attorney, Barrister Francis Usani, immediately applied forr a bench warrant for his arrest.

The motion was not immediately granted as the court gave the benefit of the doubt to the suspect and waited for him to appear.

Mr. Ogunbambo was spotted about an hour later in the premises of the court, and a source at the court speculated that he may have troubled himself to come to the trial after all when he learnt the EFCC was about to lay its hands on an order to have him arrested.

Still, the suspect did not set foot into the courtroom, electing to remain in his car when the matter was called the second time, whereupon Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo granted the bench warrant requested by the EFCC.

The court source said Ogunbambo’s refusal to step into the courtroom may have been due to the fear of being immediately arrested if he made eye contact with the judge.

He had cause to fear.  Earlier this month, Ogunbambo wrote a petition to the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayo Salami, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Aloma-Muktar against Justice Onigbanjo, unwisely alleging that the trial judge was determined to convict him regardless of the evidence.

He accused an unidentified ‘major oil marketer,’ but not anything he may have done, as being behind his ordeal, presenting Justice Onigbanjo to be the cat's paw ready to pounce on him.  Ogunbambo premised his allegations against Justice Onigbanjo on the refusal of the latter to grant him bail despite granting bail to other oil marketers standing trial for the same offense.

Although, Justice Onigbanjo anchored his denial of Ogunbambo’s application on 'criminal antecedents', the oil marketer accused the judge of bias, ignoring the stated justification.  

Ogunbambo had previously explored other legal maneuvers to obtain bail at the Court of Appeal, using his high-powered defense attorneys.

An EFCC lawyer familiar with the bench warrant issued today told SaharaReporters that the anti-graft commission would pick up Mr. Ogunbambo anywhere he is found and ensure he does not continue to trivialize or avoid trial by either not attending court or arriving long after the matter has been called.

It is unclear why the EFCC did not snatch Ogunbambo off the court premises today as it was generally known he was in the area.

The trial was adjourned to September 16.