₦airaland Forum

Some very senior officials of the Abia State Government Thursday invaded the premises of Tinubu Magistrates Court for the trial of Uche Ogah over forgery allegation.

Ogah who was recently declared as Abia Governor Elect by a Federal High Court, Abuja and two ex-staffs of United Bank for Africa, UBA were arraigned before the court earlier in the year for allegedly forging some documents relating to the opening of an account belonging to one Mrs Bridget Adeosun.

Ogah has since pleaded not guilty to the charge insisting that the matter bordered on business transaction while the Management of UBA through an advertorial in the Punch newspaper has also absolved their ex-employees of any wrong doing on the issue.

Ogah's lawyer, Barr. Monday Ubani had also explained that the forgery allegation by the police was mischievous as the complainant, Mrs Adeosun had actually entered a business agreement with Ogah's company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd where she divested her interest in an oil importation contract.

According to Ubani, Part of the agreement included the opening of an account in the name of Mut-Hass Energy where proceeds from the oil importation business would be paid into.

Ubani said the business went on smoothly until Mrs Adeosun attempted to alter the account signatories and make herself soul signatory after the oil business proceed had been paid into the account.

He said that it was when UBA officials resisted Mrs Adeosun's plot to become soul signatory to the account that she suddenly raised alarm that her signature was forged.

"We have all our evidence and we will show to the court, the mischievous nature of the complainant. How can someone attempt to change the signatories of an account you claim was forged. The court will surely hear the truth and I can assure you that truth and justice shall prevail," he said.

At the commencement of the trial Thursday, some key officials of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu administration were sighted at the court premises.

The officials included the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Eyinnaya Appolos, two personal assistants to the governor and an ex-commissioner.

Though not parties in the matter, The officials are believed to be supporting the complainant Mrs Adeosun who was absent in court.

The trial however could not proceed because the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kikelomo Ayeye was indisposed.

The matter has been adjourned till October 10, 2016.

Reacting to the invasion of the court premises by Abia Government officials, Ubani said it is obvious that the allegation is politically motivated.

" You can imagine what happened today. What is the business of Abia State Government in a trial that they are neither complainant nor prosecutor. This goes to show you those behind this false allegation."

A Lagos High Court Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye has blasted a legal counsel with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC , Mr. Babatunde Sonaike for what she described as 'gross professional misconduct'.

Justice Ipaye gave the bashing while hearing a criminal charge filed by the EFCC against business woman, Mr Moji Yakubu, her company, Monan Trading Company and Nine persons over alleged N800million land theft charge.

The commission had alleged that Moji Yakubu and her co-defendants had conspired to steal about 10 hectares of land located at Sangotedo, Lagos.

During the defendants formal arraignment in February this year, the judge had raised the issue on whether land can be stolen and asked the EFCC counsel to address her on the matter.

While the matter was slated for ruling, the EFCC lawyer went before another judge, Justice Aishat Opensanwo and obtained a forfeiture order to temporary seal an ongoing project by Monan Trading Company on the 10 hectare land.

When the matter came up on Thursday, Justice Ipaye informed parties that the ruling was not quite ready and that the matter would be adjourned till September.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Yemi Adeshina however drew the attention of the judge to the forfeiture order allegedly obtained by the EFCC against his client.

He told the court that the order amounted to window shopping by the EFCC and should be immediately set aside.

When asked by the judge if the allegation by Adeshina was true, EFCC lawyer, Sonaike confirmed that he had actually gone before Justice Opesanwo to obtain the temporary forfeiture order.

The judge immediately blasted Shonaike for going before another court to obtain such order when the matter was still pending before her court.

Justice Ipaye noted that it appeared that the EFCC was poised on taking the law into its hand by such 'window shopping'

Ipaye noted the action of the EFCC lawyer was in bad taste and capable of giving the commission a bad name.

Addressing the EFCC Lawyer, Ipaye said: "It appears that you are keen on taking the laws into your hand. Why would you go before another court for this kind of order when the matter is before me? This kind of action is what is giving the judiciary a bad name."

In a shot ruling Justice Ipaye said she would institute a disciplinary action against the EFCC lawyer before the appropriate authority.

She subsequently adjourned the matter till September 14, 2016 for ruling on the defendant's application to set aside the forfeiture order and on whether land is capable of being stolen as contained in the EFCC charge.

Barr. Monday Ubani has dispelled the rumour making rounds across the social media over the authenticity of the Certificate of Return issued to Dr. Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Some online media platforms and bloggers had in several reports on Friday quoted an unnamed INEC source as saying that the Certificate of Return issued by INEC to Ogah was fake .

In compliance to a Federal High Court order which sacked Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia State, INEC had swiftly issued a Certificate of Return to Ogah.

Reacting to the current online reports that Ogah's Certificate of Return is Fake, Ubani who is the legal adviser to Ogah said there is no element of truth in the rumour.

Ubani also stated that faceless groups with their solidarity visits based on financial inducement cannot change the truth that Ogah remains the governor of Abia State.

He said "Fake news peddled across social media by Dr. Okezie's camp has it that the Certificate of Return issued to Dr. Uche Ogah, governor-elect of Abia State is invalid. They argued that gubernatorial election of 11th April, 2015 never took place in Abia State.

"It is laughable because INEC has disassociated itself from that fake news circulating in the social media as no hard core news media have carried the baseless rumor. INEC has threatened legal action against any media platform or individuals championing such malicious story without facts.

"The falsehood peddlers will have to produce that INEC Source to prove their case, stating that such baseless falsehood peddled on a social media by the camp of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu makes a mockery of the group and their candidate."

Ubani insists that Ogah remains the authentic bearer of the Original INEC Certificate of Return as the one issued to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is deemed cancelled in law.

A business woman, Mrs Moji Yakubu popularly known as Monan has petitioned the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Maku over an alleged miscarriage of justice by its officials.

In the petition date July 19, 2016 Mrs Yakubu through her lawyer, Mr Yemi Adeshina alleged that some officials of the commission carrying out the orders of some unknown persons framed up a charge of stealing of a 10 hectare land located at Sangotedo against his client.

Mr Adeshina noted that his client rightfully purchased the 10 hectares of land from its owners, Onibeju Royal Family for N100m and that a deed of assignment was duly executed by both parties.

According to Adeshina , some members of the Onibeju Royal Family had initially petitioned the EFCC over an alleged fraudulent activities of one Miss Folashade Ogundare whom the family had withdrawn the power of attorney over the peice of land from.

He alleged that while investigation was still ongoing over the family's alleged N4billion fraud against Miss Ogundare, the matter took a different twist as the family member who took the matter to commission became suspects.

In a more shocking development, Adeshina stated that the commission last year slammed an 11 count criminal charge of stealing against his client and nine members of the Onibeju family.

In a move to further intimidate Mrs Yakubu , Adeshina said that the commission further proceeded to freeze his client's company, Monan Trading Company Ltd, account without a valid order from any court.

The freeze on the company account was however lifted earlier this year as the trial judge, Justice Ipaye lambasted the commission for the flagrant disregard for the rule of law.The judge who described the EFCC's action as illegal promptly ordered that the account be reopened.

The judge, according to him also made some observations on the charge which indicated that the 10 hectares land was stolen instead of being trespassed on.

The court has since fixed July 26, 2016 for ruling on the matter.

While the decision of the court is pending, Mr Adeshina stated that the commission secretly went before another court and obtained a suspicious injunction for temporary forfeiture of her Monan Garden Estate located in Lekki.

Adeshina said that since that forfeiture order was executed, his client has been subjected to all manners of ridicule and negative media publicity.

Although he has vowed to pursue and overturn the forfeiture order, Adeshina appealed to the EFCC chairman to personally look into the matter so as to mitigate the injustice being melted out to his client.

@olaoreawofele: maybe you should tell the people in this forum what you were doing with the EFCC officials in this picture while they were executing their fraudulent order.

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@olaoreawofele: Your lies will soon be exposed. Just continue doing what you have been asked to do. I will soon expose you and your sponsors on this space.

@olaoreawofele: please stop decieving people on this platform. I know your stake on that land and what you have volunteered to do. If you keep pushing this issue, I will let everything out here.

Why will people be calling you to ask about the latest information on a land you have no stake on. Maybe you have become and online informant. Please get a life.

So the EFCC took pictures of a property under temporary forfeiture order and sent them to you abi? Please stop decieving yourselves. You should have also posted those pictures you took while the EFCC was taking theirs. Am sure they informed you that they were coming, so you quickly got there with your camera.

Please get a life for yourselve and stop acting saint.

Am sure you alone know the people in the picture above which you never border to post. Since Nairaland is a faceless platform, am sure you wont tell.

Next time you come here to tarnish the reputation that hardworking individuals have built over the years, be sure that you will never success. As you chose to malign people for peanut, karma will also catch up with you.