Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday mocked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) bigwigs standing trial in her court over humongous financial misappropriation.
President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, NFF General Secretary Sanusi Mhammed and Board member Yusuf Fresh were absence in court on Monday on the grounds that they were in Egypt for the ongoing Nations Cup. But an obviously angry Justice Ojukwu asked their lawyers how their presence in Egypt failed to prevent the 2-0 humiliation from minor Madagascar Sunday night. And the court burst into hysterical laughter.
Justice Ojukwu afterwards issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the President of the NFF and the other four officials of the football body standing trial.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu issued the order of arrest following the refusal of Pinnick and others to appear in court to answer to the charges of misappropriation of funds.
Like in the previous proceedings, all the defendants were absent from the court on Monday.
The Monday’s development prompted the prosecuting lawyer, Celcius Ukpong, to orally apply for their arrest, a request the judge granted.
The Federal Government had through the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, filed 17 counts, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/93/2019, before the court, in which it accused the NFF officials of alleged misappropriation of $8,400,000 belonging to the football body.
The money was said to have been paid by the Federation of International Football Associations, FIFA, to the NFF as appearance fees in the group stage of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The defendants were also accused of “moving dishonestly and intentionally the sum of about N4bn” belonging to the NFF without the consent of the NFF Board.
