A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has turned its spotlight on a legal practitioner, Nnamdi Awa Kalu, ordering him to appear before it and account for the whereabouts of his client, Richard Ironbar Edemadem, who has allegedly jumped bail in a high-profile cybercrime case involving the unlawful manipulation of MTN’s critical telecommunications systems.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa issued the summons on Friday, during proceedings in a trial where five defendants, now reduced to four due to Edemadem’s absence, stand accused of defrauding MTN subscribers of over ₦36.8 million through illegal access to mobile networks.
The judge’s directive followed the prosecution’s disclosure that not only has Edemadem been absent from court, but his lawyer, Mr. Kalu, has also stopped appearing.
This development has thrown a wrench into the trial, prompting the court to demand answers.
According to the prosecuting counsel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nnemeka Omewa, all attempts to locate Edemadem or trace the sureties who guaranteed his bail have proved futile.
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He revealed that documents relating to the bail bond or the sureties’ identities could not be found in the court records.
In response, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that Kalu appear before the court on July 9, 2025, to explain what he knows about his client’s disappearance and to clarify the circumstances under which the sureties cannot be located.
The defendants, including Edemadem (now at large), Samuel Okpapi, Nelson Ojovbo, Bamigbade Olushola, and ISD Technology Limited, are being prosecuted for allegedly compromising MTN Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure between 2017 and 2018. One other suspect, identified simply as “Sola,” remains at large.
At Friday’s hearing, EFCC investigator Olamide Sadiq testified as the fourth prosecution witness.
He detailed how the accused believed to be IT experts contracted by telecom service providers exploited MTN’s network to send unsolicited messages to subscribers.
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These messages triggered unauthorized deductions from users’ accounts, the proceeds of which were allegedly split among the conspirators.
The charges brought against the defendants include tampering with critical telecom infrastructure, unauthorized access to network systems, and laundering the illicit gains totaling ₦36,837,438.20.
These offences violate provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
With Edemadem’s absence now a central issue in the trial, the focus has shifted from just the cybercrime allegations to also examining possible legal lapses in bail management and oversight.
The case has been adjourned until July 9, 2025, when the court expects both the continuation of trial and an explanation from the absentee lawyer.
