The Managing Director of Dana Air, Hathiramani Jacky Ranesh, will be arraigned before a Federal High Court, Abuja on October 13 on allegations bordering on fraud.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the new date during Wednesday’s proceeding after counsel to Ranesh, Ade Adedeji, SAN, told the Judge about his client’s absence in court, for which he said the prosecution was notified.
The arraignment of Ranesh (first defendant) and two others in the suit had been scheduled for Wednesday, but was adjourned due to the absence of the Dana Air boss despite that the two other defendants were in court.
Ships and Ports reports that when the matter was called, counsel to the 1st defendant, Adedeji, said he was in court to represent Ramesh after they were served with the notice of arraignment.
Adedeji said Ranesh, who has other cases pending in Nigerian courts, was not in the country. He said that counsel to the prosecution was aware that Ranesh would not be able to take his plea as a high court in Lagos State where the defendant was also facing a trial in another matter had adjourned as a result of his absence.
“The charge before this honourable court is a serious matter. We came in from Lagos just to come and explain to your lordship the circumstances that informed our acceptance of service without knowing that the date is coming so soon.
“We didn’t know before we accepted it. We have an option not to accept this but as officers in the temple of justice, we felt we are under obligation to accept on his (Ramesh’s) behalf.
“But to the knowledge of counsel to the prosecution, the principal defendant is not in the country which was made known to the prosecution.
“It is on the basis of these circumstances that we shall be appealing to your lordship for an adjournment my lord to enable the defendant to appear before this honourable court,” Adedeji said.
Counsel to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Wilson Michelangelo, did not oppose the request for an adjournment. Consequently, Justice Egwuatu fixed Oct. 13 for the arraignment of the defendants.