By Abdulwahab Abdulah

LAGOS—Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, ordered John Abebe, an in-law to former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to be remanded in prison custody after he was arraigned for allegedly forging a letter of BP Exploration Nigeria Nig. Ltd.

Judicial symbol for justice

Abebe, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a four-count charge bordering on forgery, is a younger brother to the late former First Lady, Stella Obasanjo.

Following the defendant’s plea of not guilty to the charges preferred against him, Justice Dada ordered that he be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.

EFCC alleged that Abebe “knowingly forged” a November 30, 1995 letter written by BP Exploration to Inducon Nigeria Ltd.

According to the anti-graft commission, the defendant (Abebe) also attempted to “pervert the course of justice” by tendering the allegedly forged November 30, 1995 letter “as a fabricated evidence” in court, in the suit between Dr. John Abebe, Inducon Nigeria Limited, and Statoil Nigeria Limited.

Abebe was also accused of an attempt to “mislead the court” by using fabricated evidence, contrary to Section 120 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

The EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that by attempting to pervert the course of justice, Abebe violated Section 126 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

Justice Dada, while adjourning the case till August 2, to enable the defence counsel, Mr. Uche Nwokedi(SAN), file an application for his client’s bail, ordered that Abebe should be remanded in Ikoyi Prison.