A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Dana Air Managing Director, Hathiramani Ranesh, following his repeated failure to appear for trial.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the arrest warrant, emphasizing the necessity of the action due to Ranesh’s consistent refusal to appear in court despite being served with charges and multiple proceedings.
The judge’s decision was grounded in Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which authorizes courts to issue arrest warrants for defendants who fail to appear.
“The arrest of Ranesh is necessary following his refusal to appear in court after he was served with the charge and several proceedings taken in the matter,” Justice Egwuatu stated in his ruling, setting the next hearing date for January 13, 2025.
The case reached this critical point on October 10th when the Federal Government, through its legal representative, requested a bench warrant for Ranesh’s arrest.
The government’s lawyer argued that the Dana Air MD had consistently avoided arraignment on charges brought by the Office of the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF).
However, the defense team contested the arrest warrant request, citing a preliminary objection they had filed challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
They maintained that the prosecution had already been served with this objection.
