By joshua 
Court Adjourns Alleged Suicide- Aiding Case Over Defendant’s Absence
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City has granted an order for substituted service in a case between the lnspector General of Police and One Jessica lguodala over an alleged aiding the suicide of Lilian Omokhuale, daughter of the Managing Director of Uyi Technical Limited.
The case which came up on Wednesday in Benin city also involved a money laundering charge of the defendant.
The prosecutor, P. Odion told the court that he need more time to gather some sensitive information in furtherance of an earlier order of the court.
Prior to Wednesday’s proceedings, the court had granted an order for substituted service.
The prosecutor had at the last court sitting informed the court that the order had been executed through publications in The Nigerian Observer and Vanguard newspapers, as well as by pasting notices on the Federal High Court’s Notice Board.
This followed the refusal of the said Jessica lguodala to appear in court to take her plea.
The prosecutor told the court that his application was anchored on Section 80, Part 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which empowers a prosecutor to seek the attachment of a defendant’s property where such a defendant is evasive or fails to comply with a court summons.
Quoting the provision, he said: “If a court has issued a summon or warrant and has reason to believe that the person has absconded or is concealing themselves to evade the service of the summons or execution of the warrant, the court may order the attachment of their property.”
He further cited Section 81 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, noting that it authorises the court to order the attachment of any property, whether movable or immovable, belonging to such a defendant.
At the sitting, counsel to the defendant, Dele Igbinedion, Esq., opposed the application, accusing the prosecution of deliberately delaying the matter through repeated requests for adjournment.
He noted that the case had lingered since 2025 and questioned why, for over a month, the prosecution had failed to file the motion required to advance the court’s earlier order.
Igbinedion therefore urged the court to either ask the prosecutor to withdraw the case or, in the alternative, strike it out.
In response, the prosecutor described the defence counsel’s submissions as contemptuous, arguing that the defendant had failed to appear in court to take her plea.
Citing the case of Dariye vs FRN (2025 NWLR), Odion maintained that a party who evades court process is not entitled to be heard until he or she submits to the jurisdiction of the court and seeks its indulgence.
Douglas Ogbankwa and Dele Igbinedion are counsels to the applicant and the defendant.
After listening to the arguments of the prosecution and defence counsel, the presiding judge, Justice B. Quadri, adjourned the case to June 30, 2026, for further proceedings.
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