Adamawa: Court orders arrest of LG boss over N4.2 million debt

An Upper Area II in Yola has issued a bench warrant of arrest of the Chairman of Demsa Local Government Council of Adamawa State, Hon. Elkanah Kados Fwah.

The court, which was presided by Justice Daniel John, issued a bench warrant for the Chairman’s immediate arrest for his inability to pay a debt of N4.2 million.

Before adjoining the case to March 5, 2021 for further consideration, Justice Daniel John, in his decision, ordered the commissioner of police, CP Aliyu Alhaji, to arrest the chairman with immediate effect, saying the Chairman was involved in contempt of Court for failing to respond to the court summons in accordance with section 41(1) of the Adamawa Criminal Justice Law.

The Chairman was evasive when he was supposed to be served with Court papers to appear before the Court on 3rd March, 2021.

The Chairman’s travail started when one, Abubakar Abdullahi filed a direct criminal complaint against the him by under section 111 of the Adamawa State Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

Abdullahi told the court that he was hired by Eldon Danjuma, the former Chairman of the Demsa Local Government, to construct a block of two classrooms and an office for N4.2 million in the Kphasam ward of the local government.

According to the claimant, he obtained the contract through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs sometime in November 2019, with the understanding that the contract amount will be paid to him by the council at the end of November 2019.

He explained that he borrowed money and successfully completed the contract as negotiated, expecting to receive his money at the end of the month, but that the ex-Chairman refused to honor the deal, much to his disappointment.

He said that he had been reliably told that the money had been paid to the current chairman, but that he had declined to pay him.

Despite the efforts of Hon. Kate Raymond Mamuno, Member of Parliament for Demsa Constituency, who personally interfered with an undertaking on behalf of the local government boss on November 18, 2020, the chairman declined to make the payment, according to him.

According to the claimant, the Fwa’s behavior and conduct constituted a breach of confidence, theft, criminal misappropriation, and contempt of court in violation of sections 302, 312, 101, and 299 of the penal code law of 2018.

The court, presided over by Daniel John, issued a bench warrant for the Chairman’s immediate arrest and adjourned the case to March 5, 2021 for further consideration.