By Ikhili Ebalu Benin City.
The police in Edo has arraigned a Legal practitioner, Smart Agbonlalor, 65 and Uwangue Osaigbovo,55, before an Ogbeson Chief Magistrates’ Court, Benin for allegedly forging Oba of Benin Land approver.
The two defendants were arraigned on a two-count charge bothering on conspiracy and forgery.
The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Iyawe, said that the defendants on July 19, 2021 at along Benin/Auchi road, Aduwawa, within Oregbeni Magisterial District, did conspired to commit felony
Iyawe said the defendants did forged a purported Oba approver by the then Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua ECMG on April 15, 1966 measuring 100ft by 200ft with beacon No N35/B, 46/B, 54/B, 55/B respectively, knowing same to be false with intention to claim ownership of the same landed property belonging to Mr Henry Okhuarobo, the Majority leader of the state House of Assembly.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 516, and 484 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the defunct Bendel State, 1976, which is now applicable in Edo.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.
The defendants’ counsels, Mr SC Ugoke and Mr M I Ukpebor however, appealed to the Chief Magistrate to grant them bail and assured him that the defendants would not skip bail.
The police prosecutor did not oppose the bail application.
Consequently, Chief Magistrate, Prince Mutairu Oare admitted the accused persons to a bail of N200,000 each, with one surety in like sum.
He said that the surety must be a responsible person and must depose to an affidavit of means.
Oare also directed that the surety must deposit two recent passport photographs of himself and that of the defendants with the court.
He added that information about the surety’s residences should be verified by the court registrar.