The planned arraignment of Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa before a Lagos High Court Sitting in Igbosere, Lagos Island, has been stalled after he failed to appear in court today.

His counsel, Roberts Clarke, SAN, who apologised to the court for his absence, told Justice Adedayo Akintoye that his client could not get a flight from Bayelsa where he currently sits as a judge.

Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, however, told the court that his absence is deliberate and a disrespect to the court.

According to Oyedepo, Justice Nganjiwa, having been duly served and notified of the arraignment since the 9th of June, could have made it to court but instead willfully chose not to appear.

Justice Nganjiwa was one of the judges recently recalled by the National Judicial Council after the Federal Government failed to file charges against him, eight months after he was asked to recuse himself from duties on the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation, pending the outcome of investigations against him.

Following his recall by the NJC, he has resumed sitting at the Federal High Court in Bayelsa.

At the planned arraignment today, his counsel also told the court that he has filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to the case.

In the objection, his counsel contends among other things that his client is a Sitting judicial officer and as such a member of the judicial arm of government and therefore only subject to the discipline of the NJC and no other court.