By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Dr. John Abebe, younger brother to late Stella Obasanjo, wife of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Mojisola Dada of a Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting at Ikeja, Nigeria, for alleged $4 million fraud was on Thursday granted temporary bail.
The judge granted him bail on affordable terms upon an application by his counsel that he will not jump bail.
At the last hearing on the matter, the EFCC, had submitted that ex-President Obasanjo’s brother-inlaw “knowingly forged” a letter dated November 30, 1995 purported to be written by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited, to Inducon (Nigeria) Ltd.”
Dr.Abebe, a business mogul was also alleged to have illegally inserted into page 2 of the said letter the following words, “Also note that the ‘Buy-Out Option’ only applies to the pre-production stage of the NPIA. The $4 million buy-out is thus irrelevant from production of Oil in any of our fields.”
The anti-graft agency had told the court that the defendant made an attempt to pervert the course of justice when he tendered the allegedly forged November 30, 1995 letter “as a fabricated evidence” in court, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/224/2010 between Dr. John Abebe, Inducon Nigeria Limited and Statoil Nigeria Limited.
Abebe was further accused of allegedly making moves to mislead the court by using fabricated evidence contrary to Section 120 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
Specifically, the EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, contended that by attempting to pervert the course of justice, Abebe violated Section 126 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003, stating that forgery was a violation of Section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
However, Abebe had pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
After taking a plea of not guilty, Justice Dada granted him bail based on the bail application initiated by his counsel Uche Nwokedi (SAN).
The judge also directed that Abebe be remanded in Ikoyi Prison pending the perfection of his bail terms.
