A federal high court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, the managing director of Dana Air, after he failed to attend court for trial proceedings.
The order was issued on Monday, November 4, by Presiding Judge Obiora Egwuatu, following an application from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). During the hearing, Judge Egwuatu expressed concern over Ranesh's absence and directed inquiries to his attorney, Ademola Bello. Bello explained that Ranesh was currently out of the country, but he emphasized that the other defendants in the case are statutory bodies for which Ranesh serves as managing director, arguing that jurisdictional issues should be resolved first.
Judge Egwuatu, however, was not persuaded by this explanation and criticized the defense for what he deemed a lack of respect for the court. Despite Bello's attempt to reference Section 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to seek a delay, the judge maintained the arrest order, stating that Ranesh is legally obligated to be present for the trial.
The judge ordered Ranesh to appear in court on January 13, 2025, before any preliminary objections can be addressed. The AGF has filed a six-count charge against Ranesh, Dana Group PLC, and Dana Steel Ltd, linked to an alleged fraud amounting to N1.3 billion.
This case has been in progress since October 10, when AGF counsel Mojisola Okeya requested Ranesh’s arrest after his failure to show up for his arraignment. The issuance of the arrest warrant adds further complications to the legal proceedings and heightens scrutiny on the CEO of Dana Air.
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