Absence of judge stalls arraignment of two OGFZA officials for alleged forgery

The absence of Magistrate Mabel Segun-Bello of Wuse Magistrates’ Court on Friday stalled the arraignment of two staff of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) for alleged forgery and falsification of documents.

The defendants are the Head of Legal Services and Secretary to OGFZA’s Board; Mr. Wasiu Sule and the organisation’s Head of Human Resources, Mr. Alenju Ngofa.

The court had fixed July 23 for the arraignment of the duo following the suspension of the 64-day strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Although the matter was listed on the cause list, the court did not sit due to the judge’s absence and a new date has not been fixed for the defendants’ arraignment.

The court had on March 16 gave the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) three weeks to produce Sule and Ngofa in court.

The court gave the order after Nkereuwem Akpan, counsel to the nominal complainant, David Omosule, informed the court that the accused persons had evaded service of court processes on them despite several attempts.

READ ALSO: JUSUN suspends nationwide strike

The magistrate also gave the police commissioner the go-ahead to investigate the defendants on the allegations levelled against them.

OGFZA and Omosule had been locked in a legal battle over the legality or otherwise of the plaintiff’s suspension, following his petition against some management staff of the agency for alleged corruption.

Omosule had alleged that the defendants willfully and maliciously distorted his records “to appear as that he does not possess any requisite qualification for employment at OGFZA or any qualification necessary for promotion.”

He said the duo’s action was tantamount to forgery and falsification of documents contrary to Section 363 and 364 of the Penal Code, which is injurious to his person.

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