A 38-year-old telecoms engineer, Success Desmond, on Monday appeared before a Chief Magistrates Court in Wuse Zone Six, Abuja, for allegedly forging his late father’s death certificate.
The police charged Desmond, who resides in Wuse 2, Abuja, with two counts of making false statement in a declaration he made and using same as a genuine document. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecution Counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, told the court that the complainant, Brook Solicitors, through a petition reported the matter to the office of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team on March 19.
He alleged that the defendant fraudulently obtained an affidavit as the next-of-kin of his late father, Nze Desmond. Ogbobe said that the defendant thereafter forged a death certificate of his father, which he claimed emanated from Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri.
The prosecutor further alleged that the forged certificate and the affidavit were used by the defendant to carry out a Sim card swap of his father’s MTN line with number 08037039960. He said that it was during police investigation that it was discovered that the defendant’s claim on the affidavit as the next-of-kin was false and that the death certificate was equally forged.
Ogbobe said the offences contravened Sections 164 and 366 of the Penal Code.
Dayo Ajayi, the defendant’s counsel, however, prayed the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms in line with the provisions of Sections 158,162 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Ahmed Ndajiwo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. He ordered that the sureties must reside within the court jurisdiction and their addresses must be verified by court officials.
The case was adjourned till July 27, for hearing.
