Judge Who Declared Me Wanted Wants To Tarnish My Image – Innoson

Dr. Innocent Chukwuma (File Photo)

Innoson Boss Reacts To Court Order Against Him

Chairman of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma, has come out to declare that the judge who declared him wanted did not act in good faith, and only wanted to embarrass him.

Innoson stated that he had already challenged the jurisdiction of the Lagos high court to hear the forgery case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Naija News recalls that Justice Mojisola Dada, had on Tuesday, issued a bench warrant and declared Mr. Chukwuma wanted following his failure to appear before the court for the fifth time.

However, the Innoson boss has now reacted to the development in a statement issued by Cornel Osigwe, head of corporate communications at the Innoson Group.

“I have expressly stated before that I am not afraid of arraignment but must be arraigned through due process of the law.”

“Furthermore, my legal counsel had at the last court hearing on April 25th 2018 notified the court that I had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit at the court of appeal, Lagos division and that the prosecuting counsels which are the EFCC has equally filed their brief at the appellate court. The judge subsequently adjourned the hearing to today, May 24th 2018,” the statement added.

“At the court hearing today, my defence team, also, notified the judge that both parties have filed and exchanged their briefs at the court of appeal and a date has been fixed for hearing of the substantive appeal and prayed the honourable judge to defer to the court of appeal to decide the appeal which is on the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

“Again, my legal team notified the trial court that I had appealed against the order of bench warrant of 9th February 2018 to the court of appeal and as well filed a motion for stay of execution of the order of bench warrant.

“However, the judge failed to grant the prayers of my legal counsel and quickly granted the plea of the prosecuting counsel to declare me wanted without recourse to due process of the law or listen to the submissions of my counsel on why an order declaring me wanted should not be made.

“Declaring me wanted was done in bad faith and is simply to embarrass my personality, defame me and malign my character aimed to distract me from my daily activities in ensuring that Innoson Vehicles continues to produce durable made in Nigeria vehicles.”

He added that he has already appealed against the order declaring him wanted and as well filed a motion for the stay of its execution.