NAN-H-68
Forgery
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, April 6, 2017 (NAN) Four men who allegedly conspired to forge voter cards and other documents, were on Thursday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
The accused, Abimbola Onalaja, 60; Odupolu Odugbemi, 33; Nwanekezie Favour, 38 and Lasisi Toheeb, 25; all resident of Ikorodu area of Lagos, are facing charges of conspiracy and forgery.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu, told the court that accused, unlawfully produce forged voter cards, National Identity cards, fake drivers license and National Population Commission birth certificate.
Nwangwu said the offences were committed on March 1 at about 2.30 p.m., at Ist Gate area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
He said that two of the accused, Favour and Toheeb are computer operators, while Onalaja and Odugbemiga are businessmen.
The prosecutor alleged that one of the accused persons owned a business centre where all the shady deals took place.
“Based on information, the Police from Odoguyan area of Ikorodu invaded the business centre and found the said exhibits.
“The accused persons could not give satisfactory accounts of the documents found in their possession when they were apprehended by the police,’’ he said.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 361 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The four accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 361 prescribes three years in jail for forgery, while Section 409 stipulates two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs T.O. Aje-Afunwa, granted each of the accused persons N500, 000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case until May 5 for service of proof of evidence. (NAN)
LAW/DEB/MZA
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Edited by Debo Oshundun/Maharazu Ahmed