N1.3 billion fraud: Court orders arrest of Dana Airline MD Hathiramani Ranesh

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Dana Air, Mr. Hathiramani Ranesh.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the warrant of arrest against Ranesh over his failure to appear in court for trial on the alleged N1.3 billion fraud.

The court said Ranesh had been served with the charges and had repeatedly failed to appear in court to answer to the charges.

Justice Egwuatu, who cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015, said, “The defendant is obliged to appear in court; if he does not, a warrant for his arrest can be issued,” the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The judge ordered Ranesh to appear in court on January 13, 2025, before any objections can be raised, and adjourned the case until that date for further hearings.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Nigerian Government, represented by Mojisola-Okeya Esho, had previously asked the court to issue a bench warrant for Ranesh’s arrest on October 10.

Esho argued that Ranesh had not shown up for his arraignment in the N1.3 billion fraud case.

However, the defence counsel, B. Ademola-Bello, countered the prosecution counsel and said that they had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction and asserted that the prosecution had been properly served.

But the prosecution counsel, Esho countered the defence counsel and said that the defendants should be arraigned first before any preliminary objections could be considered.

The judge had thereafter scheduled a hearing for November 4, 2024, for the arraignment and preliminary objections.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Olasunkanmi Fagbemi (SAN), filed a six-count charge against Ranesh; Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd, over alleged various fraud-related offences.

The charges include conspiracy to misappropriate substantial sums intended for the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, involving various amounts and actions from 2014 to 2018.

Justice Egwuatu said that Ranesh’s repeated failure to appear in court amounts to disrespect for the court’s authority.

But the defence counsel Ademola-Bello told the court that Ranesh was out of the country and insisted that jurisdictional issues raised in their preliminary objections should be prioritised.

But Justice Egwuatu insisted on Ranesh’s presence in court, ordering his arrest for the next court date.