28th September, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
The President of the Ebenator Okpala Development Union of Amichi, Anambra State, Lagos State branch, Chief Francis Okafor, 66, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly conniving with others still at large to defraud the union by imposing levies on members without authority and forgery of signature.
A Police source alleged that the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, Mr Adamu Ibrahim directed his men led by Inspector Solomon Okoh to arrest the accused following a petition by members of the union.
Okafor was charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace,
forgery of signature and fraud.
Police Counsel, Ibrahim Haruna informed the court in charge No B/95A/2018 that the accused and others still at large committed the offence in August, 2016 at Coker -Orile area of Lagos State.
Haruna told the court that the tenure of the accused as the President of the union expired, but that instead of him to hand over the affairs of the union to a new executive, he instead conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by imposing levies on members to defraud them.
Haruna said that the accused also forged the signature of one Chief Eric Umeofia and inserted his picture as one of the board of trustees members in the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) registration documents of the union without his consent and used the said documents to defraud unsuspecting members of the union.
He said the offences, Okafor committed were punishable under sections 411, 168(d), 365 and 366 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Okafor pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and Chief Magistrate, Folashade Botoku granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
Botoku adjourned the case till 22 October, 2018 for mention.