The Federal Government yesterday arraigned a Lagos State Monarch, The Onikosi of Ikosi, Oba Alami Oloyede Onikosi and three others before the Federal High Court, Abuja Division on charges bordering on forgery and falsification of a Supreme Court judgment as well as perjury.
The others charged alongside the Lagos Monarch are Muyideen Fabunmi, Alademehim Samuel and High Chief Michael Adesegun Onikoro.
According to the seven count charge filed by Police Prosecutor and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Barrister Joe Nwadike, the Monarch and his alleged accomplices were also accused of committing perjury.
Part of the – seven count charge preferred against the quartet reads thus:
* That you Muyideen Fabunmi ‘M’, Alademehim Samuel, Oba Alami Oloyede Onikosi and High Chief Michael Adesegun Onikoro and others at large, sometimes in 2018, within the judicial division of this honourable court, did make a forged Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment document identified as Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in suit No. 117 of 1936 with spurious inscriptions as A739972 and 7/6/75, purported to have been delivered by one Justice C W.V CARCEY, dated 1st day of February 1937, knowing it to be false, or with intent that it may in any way be used or acted upon as genuine Supreme Court Of Nigeria judgment and with such intent that any person may, in the belief that it is genuine, be induced to believe that it is a true Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap ‘M17’, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
* That you Muyideen Fabunmi ‘M’, Alademehim Samuel, Oba Alami Oloyede Onikosi and High Chief Michael Adesegun Onikoro and others at large, sometimes in 2018, within the judicial division of this honourable court, did make with a different front of letters, a forged Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment document captioned Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in Suit No. 117 of 1936 between Kale Chief Onikoro & Anor Versus Akintola & ors, purported to have been delivered by one Justice C W.V CARCEY, dated 1st day of February 1937, and in order to perfect the forgery, went further and fraudulently certified same at the Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in the year 2020, which upon inquiry, the Supreme Court of Nigeria confirm that the certification was fraudulently obtained knowing it to be false or with intent that it may in any way be used or acted upon as genuine Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment and with such intent that any person may, in the belief that it is genuine, be induced to believe that it is a true Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap’M17′, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
* That you Muyideen Fabunmi ‘M’, Alademehim Samuel, Oba Alami Oloyede Onikosi and High Chief Michael Adesegun Onikoro and others at large, sometimes in 2018, within the judicial division of this honourable court, did make a forged Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment document identified as Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in suit No. 117 of 1936 by forging the signature of one Justice C W.V CARCEY
as the judge that delivered the said judgment and used same to file court processes in Suit No. IKD/6388 LMW/18 between CHIEF YAHAYA HASSAN AKINTOLA & ORS VS MR. MOYOSOLA AYOOLA OLADUNJOYE & ORS and served same on 27th May 2020, knowing it to be false, or with intent that it may in any way be used or acted upon as genuine Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment and with such intent that any person may, in the belief that it is genuine, be induced to believe that it is a true Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap’M17′, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
* That you Muyideen Fabunmi ‘M’, Alademehim Samuel, Oba Alami Oloyede Onikosi and High Chief Michael Adesegun Onikoro and others at large, sometimes in 2018, within the judicial division of this honourable court, did knowingly make false statement by swearing on oath by way of deposing to an affidavit at the Registry of the High Court of Lagos State with intent to mislead the court that a forged Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in suit No. 117 of 1936 with spurious inscriptions as A739972 and 7/6/75, purported to have been delivered by one Justice C W.V CARCEY, dated 1st day of February 1937 is a genuine document and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39(2)(a) and punishable under Section 39((2)(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
When the charges were read to the quartet, all of them pleaded not guilty to each of the seven counts.
Justice I. Ekwo ordered that they continue to enjoy the administrative bail granted them by the police, while admonishing the monarch and his co-accused not to disappoint him.
Accordingly, the trial judge adjourned the suit to the 17th, 18th and 19th of January 2023 for commencement of trial.