By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
In continuation of trial in the alleged N500 million fraud involving the son of late Oba Afolabi James of Kwemeland of Badagry, Prince Semasa James, a forensic expert, Mr Rapheal Onwuzuribo on Monday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, Nigeria that Semasa James had forged the signatures of the administrators of his late father’s estate.
The Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) had charged Semasa James for alleged fraudulent conversion of N500 million property belonging to his late father, Oba Afolabi James of Kweme Land of Badagry between 2000 and 2017 in Lagos by forging signatures of administrators of his late father’s estate.
To prove the allegation of forgery against the defendant ( prince) the SFU had during proceedings, brought in Onwuzuribo, a former Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to testify for the prosecution as a forensic expert witness.
Onwuzuribo, who has over 27 years experience in forensic examination, was formerly attached to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Force CID, Alagbon, Lagos.
During cross-examination by Mr Martins Oyigbo, Semasa’s defence counsel, Onwuzuribo had told the court that the result of his forensic analysis proved that the defendant forged the signatures of the administrators of his late father’s estate.
The administrators whose signatures were allegedly forged on some documents by the defendant are Mrs Mausi Alakija James, late Mr Bolarinwa James and Justice Adebayo Adeniji.
“My employer, Master Patterns Forensic Services Ltd, received a purchase receipt, deed of assignment and the international passport of one Bolarinwa James to analyse,” he said.
Onwuzuribo also showed the court a side by side comparison of the samples of the real signatures of the administrators and the purported fake signatures.
The forensic expert testified that he had found that the real signature samples of the administrators of the late king’s estate which were given to him by the complainant for analysis to be clear and legible.
“During the analysis, I was able to extract these master patterns.
“My Lord these are the doubted (forged) signatures and these are the undoubted (original) signatures.
“I used a doculus lumus analyzer, past scanner analyzer, dosier analyzer, magnifier and other methods to arrive at this conclusion,” Onwuzuribo said.
Semasa, is standing trial alongside Afolabi Kazeem, an alleged accomplice to the crimes. In the seven-count charge, Semasa is charged with stealing, forging of company resolution, fraudulent disposing of trust property and forgery, while Kazeem and the prince are jointly charged with conspiracy to defraud and cheating.
According to Mr O. O Olabisi, the prosecutor for the SFU: “To gain illegal access to his late father’s estate, the defendant had in 2011, forged the resolution of a company called CAJ Industrial Enterprises dated November 28, 2011.
“He had purported that the resolution was signed by his father, who was one of the directors of the company. Meanwhile his father had died nine years earlier on January 30, 2002.
“The defendant had forged the resolution with the intent that it will be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of any person,” he said.
The prosecutor further submitted that Semasa had also forged a purchase receipt dated November 15, 2004 and an undated deed of assignment between himself, Bolarinwa James, Mrs Alakija (nee James), Hon. Justice Adebayo Adeniji and Mrs Saidat Taiwo. According to the prosecution, Semasa had purported that the receipt of payment and deed of assignment were signed by Bolarinwa, Alakija and Justice Adeniji with the intent that it will be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of other persons. The offences contravene Sections 383(1), 383(2)(f), 390(9), 421,434, 465 and 467 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
After Onwuzuribo’s testimony, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until February 8 and 13 for continuation of trial.
