Forgery: Court remands woman in prison, grants 3 persons bail

FCT High Court, Kubwa, on Thursday ordered the remand of one Victoria Adelana in prison and granted three other people bail, docked over alleged forgery and obtaining N14 million under false pretence.

The defendants: Victoria Adelana, Adewole Olugbenga, Patrick Ojo and Ezechi Benedeth, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 24 count charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya ordered Adelana’s remand after the EFCC prosecutor, Dianne Nkwap, opposed her bail, because there are issues contained in the bail application she had to respond to.

Ogbonnaya, however, granted Olugbenga, Ojo and Benedeth bail in the interest of justice with one surety each who must show evidence of means not less than N7 million.

She said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and deliver their travelling documents to the Deputy Sheriff of the court.

She adjourned the matter until March 25 and 28 for trial.

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The prosecutor told the court that the defendants and two others at large conspired and obtained N14 million from Mr Chinenye Ike, under false pretence to sell two plots of land to him in October 2011.

She said the defendants also forged land title documents, used same as genuine and issued to Ike for the said plot of lands at Kugbo Extension, Abuja.

She said the forged documents include Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Departmental receipt, Developmental Levy, Right of Occupancy and Offer of Terms of Grant/conveyance of approval.

The offences contravened Sections 97, 364 of the Penal Code and Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.