A self-acclaimed traditional ruler, Benedict Dan-Jumbo, who was sentenced to one month imprisonment for contempt of court and false claims to the chieftaincy stool of the Dan-Jumbo Chieftaincy House of Bonny Kingdom is allegedly on the run.

Counsel to the Dan-Jumbo Chieftaincy House, Eugene Odey disclosed this to Kristina Reports in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in Port Harcourt.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that Benedict Dan-Jumbo, who was convicted by a magistrate court in Port Harcourt, is currently at large.”

He further disclosed that the magistrate court from where the conviction and sentencing emanated from has equally issued a bench warrant to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to apprehend and bring him to court as soon as possible.

“We have informed the court and the court has issued a bench warrant for the Police to look for him and arrest him.”

Recall that a Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Rosemary Ibanibo had on Thursday, March 30, 2023 convicted Benedict Dan-Jumbo in charge number, PMC/1114C/2016; Abinye Dan-Jumbo vs Benedict Dan-Jumbo & 2 Others of contempt of court and false claims.

In her judgment, Ibanibo gave him two weeks to go purge himself of the contempt or face a one-month jail term.

Curiously, when the court resumed on Tuesday, April 17, 2023, it sentenced Benedict to prison for one month for being a contemnor and for failing to purge himself as ordered by the court. It also issued a bench warrant for his arrest for not appearing in court.

Efforts by Kristina Reports to confirm from the Police if it has actioned on the bench warrant yet was unsuccessful as at the time of this report as the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, was yet to response to an enquiry sent to her mobile line.