The planned arraignment of three retired police officers accused of age falsification was stalled on Thursday following the failure of the Inspector-General of Police to produce them in court.
The defendants – a retired Commissioner of Police and two other senior officers – were scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer charges bordering on alleged manipulation of their records while in service.
When the matter was called, neither the defendants nor their legal representatives were present. The prosecution counsel informed the court that despite being served with the charges, the defendants had yet to be produced for arraignment.
Justice Peter Lifu expressed displeasure over the development, noting that the prosecution had sufficient time to ensure the appearance of the accused persons. He stressed that the court would not tolerate unnecessary delays and adjourned the case to a later date for proper arraignment.
The matter, which has attracted public interest due to the seniority of the officers involved, is expected to test the commitment of the police authorities to accountability and transparency within their ranks.
