The Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State, has ordered the interim attachment of a property belonging to Jessica Iguodala Oghomwen, who is facing a criminal charge and has allegedly failed to appear in court to take her plea.
Justice B.O. Quadri, presiding over Court One of the Federal High Court, made the order following an ex parte application by the prosecution under Sections 80 and 81 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The property is located at House 127, Independent Street, off Ighomwenghian Street, off Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City.
In an affidavit supporting the application, the investigating police officer, ASP Bulus Joseph, told the court that the defendant had failed to appear to take her plea in charge No. FHC/B/5C/2024, prompting the issuance of a warrant for her arrest.
According to the affidavit, the warrant directed the defendant to appear before the court on November 19, 2024, but she had allegedly continued to evade arrest.
The prosecution further stated that the court subsequently authorised the issuance of public summons, which were published in The Observer and The Vanguard newspapers and displayed on the court’s notice board.
Despite these measures, the affidavit alleged, the defendant had continued to absent herself from proceedings while being represented by counsel on successive adjourned dates.
The investigating officer also stated that police investigations indicated that the property belonged to the defendant’s late mother and devolved to her following her mother’s death, as she was reportedly the only surviving daughter.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the defendant, E. Ehikioya, withdrew his appearance, after which J.E. Imagbeghian announced his appearance for her.
Imagbeghian sought to challenge the procedure adopted by the prosecution, arguing that the application should have been brought on notice rather than ex parte.
However, Douglas Ogbankwa, counsel to the nominal complainant, opposed the request, arguing that the defendant’s alleged failure to comply with subsisting court orders to appear and take her plea raised concerns about granting further audience to her counsel in the proceedings.
Ogbankwa, who led S.U. Obazee, O.A. Enobabor, A.J. Onwunaje and O.T. Okeke, argued that entertaining the objection in the circumstances would undermine the court’s authority and potentially encourage continued evasion of the proceedings.
In his ruling, Justice Quadri held that the prosecution’s application had merit and ordered the interim attachment of the property.
The judge limited the order to 14 days, pending the necessary action by the prosecution, warning that it would stand vacated if the required steps were not taken within the stipulated period.
The matter was adjourned until December 8, 2026.
The interim attachment is a temporary court order and does not, in itself, amount to a final determination of ownership of the property or the defendant’s guilt in the criminal charge.
