I wasn’t arrested over dud cheque, says ex-speaker

Former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. John Clark Dabwan said yesterday that he was not arrested as being speculated by the media. In a telephone conversation yesterday, Dabwan said that some people sometimes would just blow up some infinitesimal issues just to hear the reactions of members of the public.

The Jos High Court presided by Justice Philomena Lot on Monday reportedly ordered the arrest of the former Speaker for allegedly issuing a dud cheque of Sterling Bank for N3.8 million to a Jos-based businessman.

According to Justice Lot, the case came up again on Monday and Dabwan who was earlier granted bail on self-recognition at the last adjourned date, did not appear in court, which necessitated the court to order his arrest.

The bounced cheque was issued to the businessman in October 2016 following a mutual transaction between them. But after several demands from Dabwan without success, the businessman went to court to help him recover his money.

Dabwan was not in court when the case came up on Monday and the judge had no option than to order his arrest. He actually issued the cheque to the businessman but Dabwan instructed him to let him know anytime he was going to present it to the bank, the instruction the businessman did not follow.

Dabwan said he did not appear in court on that Monday as he thought the case was for yesterday, only to see newspapers awash with the story of his arrest.

He said that the Prosecuting Counsel did not even call to remind him that the case was ripe for mention on that Monday, “only to see papers all over with the story of my arrest. I leave everything to God.”