Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick’s attorney said no bench warrant was issued on Monday against his client.
Mr Katu refuted allegations by the prosecutor, Celsius Ukpong, that all five defendants presently facing trial at the Federal High Court’s Abuja Division were given bench warrants after their absence in court on Monday.
Mr Pinnick and four others, namely: the NFF Secretary, Sunusi Mohammed ; the First Vice-President, Seyi Akinwumi ; the Second Vice-President, Shehu Dikko ; and the Executive, Yusuff Fresh, were charged with diverting $8.4 million from the NFF account in 2014.
The reported $8.4 million was claimed to have been paid in advance of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil by the world football governing body, FIFA.
The accused were also charged with”scheming the association through dubious programs including the organisation of fake matches which resulted in the fraudulent accumulation of funds meant for the football association”.
Through their attorneys, the five defendants had told the court they are in Egypt to attend the present Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)
Miffed by their apparent disregard for the court, at the last session, the judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, decided on an action to order their appearance.
The court held that on the next adjourned date, September 26, Mr Pinnik and his co-accused must be arraigned.
Journalists approached the attorneys after the court ruling to clarify the ruling.
Explaining the details of the judgment, Mr Ukpong asserted that all five defendants had been ordered to be arrested.
But, Mr. Katu said his client was “exempted” from the order because the judge thought he had a good reason to be present in Egypt’s ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Mr Pinnick is also the vice president of the African Football Confederation (CAF), the AFCON organizers.
“The court order was made in two folds. One was for the issuance of a bench warrant from the second to the fifth defendant excluding Pinnick.”
“The second part is that the bench warrants will cease to exist if the second to the fourth defendant can bring a document to show that they are taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations,” Mr Katu said.
Mr Pinnick and the other accused face an alleged crime charge of 17-count.
