On Thursday, the Nigerian Government petitioned a Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr. Hathiramani Ranesh, the Managing Director of Dana Air. This request follows Ranesh’s failure to appear in court for his arraignment related to an alleged N1.3 billion fraud case.
Mojisola Okeya, representing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), made this oral application before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, highlighting Ranesh’s ongoing absence despite multiple summons.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the AGF’s office has filed a six-count charge against Ranesh and two co-defendants, Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd, listed as the second and third defendants in the case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/101/2021.
The initial charge accuses Ranesh and the two companies, along with others still unidentified, of committing a felony at the DANA Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina between September and December 2018. They are alleged to have conspired to steal and sell four industrial generators valued at over N450 million, which were collateral for an active bond.
In another allegation, Ranesh and his associates reportedly diverted N864 million, intended for reviving production at the factory, to unauthorized uses between April 7 and 8, 2014, at a location on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos.
Furthermore, in a fifth charge, they are accused of conspiring to transfer N60.3 million to an Access Bank account belonging to Atlantic Shrimpers, funds that were also earmarked for the factory’s revival but were misappropriated.
Overall, the charges pertain to the alleged misappropriation of N1.37 billion, violating Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Ranesh has not appeared in any previous court sessions. During Thursday’s hearing, Okeya urged the court to issue a bench warrant for his arrest due to his absence. However, defense attorney B. Ademola-Bello opposed this motion, arguing that a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction had already been filed and served to the prosecution.
Okeya countered that the defendants must be arraigned before any objections could be addressed. Ademola-Bello maintained that the objection needed resolution prior to the arraignment, citing relevant case precedents.
Justice Egwuatu requested that Ademola-Bello reference any section of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, to support his stance. The judge subsequently adjourned the case until November 4, directing both parties to discuss whether the objection should be considered before proceeding with the arraignment.
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