Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The State Security Service (SSS) yesterday arraigned six persons before an Ado Ekiti Magistrate Court in the Ekiti State capital over an alleged possession of fraudulent document and forgery, using false documents and counterfeit seals and impersonation.
The six defendants are Olarewaju Adesoye, Mayowa Nelson Ajisafe, Matthew Ilesanmi Olarenwaju, Olorunfemi Osho, Joseph Sunday Balogun, and Ajayi Temidayo.
The legal officer of the SSS, Olaolu Olayinka, who is the prosecutor of the case, told the court yesterday that the defendants sometimes between October and November in Ado-Ekiti, did conspire to commit offence to wit by obtaining money by false pretence.
The prosecutor alleged that on the same time and place, they, with the intention to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,795,000 from Olumide Damilola, Ayeni Rachael Fummilayo, Fakunle Olasunkanmi Olatunbosun, Ogidi Kayode Emmanuel and others.
According to him, “They did possess fake tax clearance certificates of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service.
“They forged the signature of one Olaniran Olatona, the executive chairman of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service. They did fraudulently use a counterfeit seal of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, and falsely represented themselves as staff of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service with intent to defraud.”
Olayinka said the original case file has been transmitted to the Ministry of Justice, to take over the case and pending the issuance of the legal advice from the state DPP.
According to the SSS legal officer, the offence committed is punishable under Section 421, 329,335,357,372,391 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.
All the six defendants pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge against them.
The counsel to the defendants, Timi. E. Omotoso, urged the court to grant the defendants bail, saying they are men of integrity, adding that they would provide credible surety.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate, Ojo Adeosun, granted them bail with N500,000 each, one surety with two defendants (3 sureties for the six defendants), and adjourned till January 26, 2024.
