Gov-in- waiting, Ogah, in court over fraud charges

Uche Ogah who has been declared as the rightful governor of Abia State, by a Federal Court was in court on Thursday to answer for allegations of forgery proffered against him.

The case against Ogah, who is also president of Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah was adjourned till October 10, 2016.

His trial was scheduled for Thursday but could not proceed as the Lagos state Magistrate Court in Tinubu; where Ogah is being prosecuted by the police for alleged forgery, failed to sit, due to the absence of Mrs. Kikelomo Ayeye, the magistrate hearing the case, .

No reason was given for the magistrate’s absence as the court registrars adjourned the case till October 10, 2016.
Ogah is joined in the charge with his company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, and an ex-employee of United Bank for Africa, Deji Somoye.

They were accused of collaborating with some persons still at large to forge a Memorandum of Understanding between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited sometime in March 2011.

Ogah and some other persons still at large were alleged to have forged the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun.
The charge sheet read: “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to wit: forgery.

Read also: Twist in battle for Abia as PDP disowns Ogah

“That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.

“That you, Deji Somoye, United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited design to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime,” the charge reads.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty after which they were admitted to bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

The yet to be installed governor of Abia state, who a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Okon Abang had on June 27, declared winner of the last governorship election in Abia state was also arraigned on June 16 by the police for alleged forgery.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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