The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today re-arraigned the trio of Waheed Omotayo (alias Badmus Mustapha), Giwa Tunde Abiodun and Aghama Peter before Justice Othman A. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.

The accused persons were arraigned on an eight count charge bordering on forgery.

They allegedly forged various documents including; Egyptian Entry Visa, International passports, First Bank statements of account and certificate of marriage in the name of one Badmus Mustapha.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Prosecution counsel Cosmas Ugwu consequently asked for a trial date, while defence counsel Usman Kabir representing the first accused, Waheed Omotayo, prayed the court to allow his client continue on the previous bail condition granted by the former trial Judge, Justice Ibrahim Bukar. The other counsel aligned themselves with him.

While Ugwu did not oppose the application he however requested that the sureties be presented to the new trial court.

Justice Musa adjourned the matter to September 16, 2015 for hearing, while directing the accused to present their sureties to the court registrar on the adjourned date.

It will be recalled that the accused were not able to take their plea at the last adjourned date, May 13, 2015, following the first accused claim that he does not understand English language; hence the decision of the court to adjourn to enable the prosecution to provide him with an interpreter.

One of the count reads; "that you Waheed Omotayo (aka Badmus Mustapha), Giwa Tunde Abiodun and Aghama Peter and one Mallam Mohammad (still at large) on or about the 23rd of May 2012 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, agreed amongst yourself to do an illegal act to wit: Forgery of the following documents: 1. Two Egyptian entry applications. 2. Two international passports and 3. One First Bank of Nigeria Plc statement of account dated the 18th May 2012 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 79 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code".

Meanwhile, Justice Peter U. Kekemeke has adjourned to July 30, 2015, ruling on the no Case submission by Hajia Binta Kuraye and her company Umita Construction and Supply company Limited, being prosecuted by the EFCC on a two count charge of issuance of dud cheques.

The accused person allegedly issued two dud Cheques worth N17, 500.000 (Seventeen million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) to one Claire Uzoamaka Arinze in March, 2012.

Media & Publicity
24th June, 2015