Court orders arrest of senator for forgery

For allegedly misleading the court into awarding judgment in his favour, a magistrate court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Alphonsus Obi Igbeke, the senator representing Anambra North senatorial district.

The warrant, which was issued in Abuja at the weekend by the presiding magistrate,Attahiru Alkali, ordered all police officers who see Mr Igbeke anywhere to arrest him as he stood charged with forgery. Before the warrant was issued, the police had told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Mr Igbeke forged the documents he presented to the court which led to the judgment that declared him the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 9th National Assembly election.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Abdul Kafarati, in a judgment delivered on the 17th day of March, 2011, declared Mr Igbeke the authentic PDP candidate for Anambra North senatorial district. Dissatisfied with the decision, his opponent, John Emeka, took his case further to the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

Mr Igbeke had filed an application for the enforcement of his rights at the Federal High Court, Abuja, after the police wrote to the clerk of the National Assembly asking for him to be released for questioning.