By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court in Lagos Nigeria presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu has ordered the remand of an Indian and two others for allegedly forging Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) receipts.
The defendants Omkar Shinde, Chucks Okeke, Shittu Adedeji and a company, Everchem Paints Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before the court on a three-count charge of forgery.
In the charge filed by the prosecutor, Olofindare Adeleke, a Senior State Counsel on behalf of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), it stated that Chuks Okeke , Shinde an Indian, and Everchem Paints, allegedly forged 15 SON receipts on February 12, 2020 at Close 6, House 4 Satellite Town, Lagos, and at 110/114 Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Isolo.
According to the charge, the defendants committed the alleged offence “with Intent to use the false documents as genuine”.
SON submitted that the receipts forged by Okeke and Shinde are receipts numbered TCI/S621 dated 17/10/2016; TCI/5523 dated 16/11/2016, TC1/5524 dated 16/11/2016; TCI/1008 dated 12/04/2018; TCI/1366 dated 21/06/2018; TCI/268 dated 22/02/2018 ; TCI/1161 dated 10/05/2018 ; TCI/1008 dated 04/04/2018 and TCI/SS40 dated 13/01/2017.
Others are TCI/348 (12/03/2018); TCI/50127 (22/11/2017); TCI/4381 (30/11/2017); TCI/50128 (22/11/2017); TCI/57542 (28/06/2017) and TCI 50128 (22/ 11/2017).
The prosecution submitted that it was with the “intention of causing the forged documents to be believed to have been issued by SON and use same as genuine.”
SON further stated that Adedeji, on or about February 12 at 2, Morebise Egan, Igando, “did present false documents to SON officials, which you knew or have reason to know same to be false, with intent to use the false documents as genuine”.
In the charge, the alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 465 and punishable under Sections 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
After listening to the charge preferred against them, the defendants pleaded not guilty. Reacting to the plea of the defendants, the prosecutor asked the court to remand the defendants in custody and fix trial date in “view of the not guilty plea of the defendants”
Responding, defence counsel E.O Pobeni (for the first defendant), Tiwalade Aderoju (for the second and fourth defendants) and I. C. Ituma (for third defendant) told the court that they had filed bail applications on behalf of their clients and prayed for hearing of the applications.
However, Justice Saidu ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Services.
He adjourned the matter until March 4 for hearing of the pending bail applications.