An Edo High Court presided over by Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele has issued an arrest warrant on Mr. Dumez Ugiagbe, a lawmaker-elect for Ovia Constituency II in the Edo State House of Assembly.
Justice Ovbiagele gave the order at the resumed hearing of an alleged case of forgery and impersonation preferred against the lawmaker-elect.
Ugiagbe failed to appear in court on Friday to enter his plea.
The court had adjourned sitting on October 25, 2019 after Ugiagbe was arraigned in absentia.
Ugiagbe is said to have committed the offence around 2001.
At the resumed sitting on Friday, counsel to Ugiagbe, Mr Paul Osarenkhoe, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the criminal charges against his client.
Osarenkhoe said his client was not properly served and pleaded for pardon for the absence of his client.
He explained that his client was in Abuja, as a result of ill health after which he applied for bail for his client.
State Counsel, Mr Peter Ojo, an Assistant Director in the State Ministry of Justice, urged the court to reject the augment and plea of Osarenkhoe.
Justice Ovbiaghele however granted the request of the state counsel for a bench warrant order to be issued against Ugiagbe.
He adjourned the case to November 8, 2019.
Ugiagbe is one of the 14 Edo lawmakers-elect that are currently in Abuja waiting for Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation letter.
