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Court admits documents in Obaseki’s alleged certificate forgery case

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted more documents in evidence against the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, in his ongoing case for alleged certificate forgery.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) tendered the documents to prove its allegation of certificate forgery against the governor.

The two documents included a University of Ibadan degree certificate belonging to one Mr. Emmanuel Balogun and a report presented by a forensic document examiner, ASP Raphael Onwuzuligbo.

The documents were admitted in evidence by the court having been tendered through the lead counsel for the APC, Mr. Akin Olujimi (SAN).

The document, a first-degree certificate in agricultural science, was awarded to Balogun in 1979, the same year as that of Obaseki.

Although the second document was admitted with a caveat following objections to its admissibility by Obaseki’s counsel, Mr. Ken Mozia (SAN).

Earlier, during cross-examination, Balogun told the court that he had never seen the controversial degree certificate issued to the governor by UI authorities.

READ ALSO: Obaseki accused of certificate forgery, dragged to court

The witness also admitted that he had never worked in the UI admissions department.

Balogun, however, said he was not in a position to comment on Obaseki’s certificates since he did not work in the university’s admission department.

The witness, who tendered the original degree certificate issued to him by UI in 1979, told the court that generally, certificates were signed by vice-chancellors and registrars and that they always carried dates.

Attempts by the APC counsel to call in the fourth witness was challenged by the defendants on grounds that the plaintiffs had exhausted the number of days provided by the court for them to call their witnesses.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the matter till December 31.

The APC had filed the case and asked the court to order the governor’s removal for alleged certificate forgery.

The party claimed that Obaseki was not qualified to participate in the September 19 governorship election in Edo over the same reason.

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