By Innocent Anaba

The police Special Fraud Unit, SFU, yesterday, arraigned the Balogun of Epe, Chief Olajide Ikuforiji, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over allegation of forgery.

Meanwhile, the court ordered that the accused be remanded, after the prosecution had asked that he be remanded in prisons custody.

He was accused of forging minutes of an emergency meeting of the Eko Epe Forum held on October 20, 2012, over a chieftaincy tussle.

The police said he did so “with intend to defraud,” as he “fraudulently uttered (presented) a forged and false” document with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine.

Police said it was to prejudice the Oba of Epe Kingdom, S. O. Adewale, Alhaji Adio Oduola and Alhaji Tunde Bello.

The alleged offence is contrary to Section 1 (2) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Ikuforiji pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

His counsel, Ovie Adollo, objected to the charge on the basis that two other cases on the same issue were already pending before a Lagos State High Court and another Federal High Court, Lagos.

“With this charge, three different courts are being invited to sit and decide on the same subject matter,” he said.

According to him, Ikuforiji and the Olu of Epe were the defendants in the suit before Justice Samuel Candide-Johnson of the Lagos State High Court, where he said issues had already been joined.

Adollo said: “We also filed an action before Justice Babs Kuewumi (of the Federal High Court), which is still subsisting. The best decision is to await the decision of the courts. They are just interested in hounding the defendant.”

However, prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo, said the other cases were civil actions, which he said cannot prevent the filing of a criminal charge.

“It is trite that both (a civil case and a criminal case) can go on at the same time,” he said.

Trial judge, Justice Abdulazeez Anka, directed Adollo to file a formal objection to the charge, as well as a bail application.

He adjourned until October 5 for hearing.