Alleged Forgery, Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against 2 Abuja Lawyers

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Apo, Abuja has issued a bench warrant against two lawyers, Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola over their continued evasion of court which has stalled their scheduled arraignment.

The duo, Giwa, and Bukola had been dragged before the court
by the IGP, bordering on conspiracy and forgery of a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of Awa Kalu, SAN with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024 with a claim by the prosecution that Victor Giwa and Ibitade Bukola forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of Awa Kalu SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF, seeking intervention to halt the arraignment scheduled before Hon. Justice Samira Bature of the High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on July 2, 2024.

In the letter, the supposed authors argued that the charges against Giwa at the FCT high court, Maitama, should be withdrawn in the interest of “natural justice, equity, and fair play.”

Giwa, alongside a property developer Cecil Osakwe and one other, were to be arraigned on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged illegal eviction, criminal intimidation, threat to life, and property damage amounting to N300 million, before Justice Bature.

However, the fresh charge before the FCT high court that Apo brought against Giwa and Bukola includes conspiracy to commit forgery and impersonation punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, 2004 dishonest execution of a fraudulent document (Section 364), and impersonation of a legal practitioner (Section 179).

At the resumed sitting of the court on Monday, Prosecution Counsel, Eristo Asaph, recalled that at the last sitting on 26 May 2025, counsel to the 1st defendant had notified the court of the loss of two sisters and was preparing for their burial for which an adjournment was sought and granted.

The prosecution counsel therefore wondered why the duo again failed to make an appearance for their arraignment and counsel for both defendants, Ogbu Aboje told the court that the first defendant, Mr. Giwa had written a letter along with a medical report to the court dated September 3, notifying the court that he needed to attend to a serious and urgent medical issue, which he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae” in addition to suffering from hypertension.

The prosecution counsel, Asaph opposed the 1st defendant’s letter before the court on the premise that the said medical report did not indicate that he would be unable to be present in court because of an ailment that can be easily managed and therefore, urged the court to disregard the said letter arguing that the 2nd defendant did not bother to produce any letter or document to show the medical appointment so the court should reject the plea.

Reacting, the defence counsel drew the attention of the court to the explanations of the defendants about their medical issues and pleaded on their behalf on the matter as they had out of respect for the court deemed it necessary to notify it hence urged the court to discontinue the request for bench warrant on the defendants.

Ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie, having listened to both counsels, observed that the medical report did say the 1st would be unable to attend court while the 2nd defendant did not even produce any document at all

Justice Onwuegbuzie said as a result of the foregoing in line with session 266 (sub 2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), a bench warrant was issued against the defendants to compel their appearance at the next adjourned date of October 8, 2025.

Garry Ochigbo, Edited By Grace Namiji