20th September, 2023
By Paul Iyoghojie
The police at the Bar Beach Division, Victoria Island of the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos, South West, Nigeria have arrested two security men and arraigned them before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly issuing fake Abia State Certificate of origin to the public for N6,500 each.
Police alleged that trouble started for the defendants, Friday Wycliff, 35, and Andrew Jonathan, 22, when the Chief Security Consultant to the Abia State Laison Office in Lagos caught the defendants with the fake Abia State Certificate of Origin.
During questioning, the defendants allegedly confessed to the Abia State Laison Office Chief Security Consultant that they had been issuing the fake certificate to the public for long for a fee of N6,500 each and that they were introduced into the illegal business by their security colleague simply called Austine now at large.
Following the development, the Abia State Laison Chief Security Consultant sent a distress call to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of the Bar Beach division who quickly dispatched a team to the scene to arrest the defendants.
The defendants from Taraba State were charged before the Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos Island on a four-count charge bordering on forgery.
Police prosecuting counsel, Inspector Koti Aodohemba told the court in the charge marked TC/38/2023 that the defendants committed the offence on 17 September, 2023 Along Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Aodohemba informed the court that the defendants who were attached to a hospital in the area abandoned their duty post and went to bishop Oluwole Street to issue fake Abia State Certificate of Origin to the public for N6,500.
He said the defendants had already issued the fake certificate to about eight persons namely, Utiewe Veronica Nkechiyere; Oguagu Daniels Grani; Ekeke Izuchukwu Promise; Onyekwere Onyinye Gift; Kalu Chigozie Chidebere; Oguagu Daniels Mary; Nwoke Stephen Chibuike and Feyinwu Chukwubuka Bethel before they were arrested.
Aodohemba said the offence the defendants committed was punishable under Section 411, 78(b), 363 (2) (c) and 365 (2) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate A. T. Omoyele granted them N100,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.
Omoyele adjourned the case till 3 October 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional facility till they perfected their bail conditions.
