Abia state magistrate’s court in Umuahia has convicted a former minister of state for mines and steel development, Uche Ogah for forgery.
Gatekeepers News reports that in the suit marked UMSC/362/2022, the Abia state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged that Ogah fabricated the party’s direct primary result sheet.
The party further alleged that Ogah did this“with intent that it may be acted on as genuine”, despite not participating in the party’s May 26, 2022 governorship primary.
The plaintiff submitted that his “falsification” was detrimental to the party and Ikechi Emenike, whom the party recognises as its “authentic governorship flagbearer.”
According to Abia APC, the offence is in contravention of section 465 of the Criminal Code (as it applies in Abia) and punishable under section 467.
The presiding magistrate, Ngozi Nwangwa, while delivering the judgement on Thursday, held that the defendant/respondent “is guilty as charged”.
The magistrate said, “I’m convinced that the defendant has no defence.
“I hereby commit Dr Uche Ogah for the offence as charged.”
The defendant was not present in court, so the magistrate gave security agencies the order to arrest him wherever he may be and hold him in any correctional facility until the day he is brought to court for sentencing.
He had failed to appear before the court since November when the matter came up for hearing, and he also did not have a legal representative.
The magistrate, however, said Ogah had written a petition to the chief judge and the attorney-general alleging “bias and compromise”.
The APC had called the state secretary of Abia APC, Chidi Avajah, as its sole witness on November 30.
They also tendered as exhibits, affidavits deposed by a representative of the APC governorship primary election panel for Abia, Tony Obiefuna, and one Chukwudi Kanu, respectively, stating that their signatures were forged by Ogah.
Since the respondent failed to open his defence on the charges against him, the prosecution, after making its submission, closed its case and urged the court “to accept the documentary evidence, rely on them and act on them”.
Meanwhile, a federal high court in Abuja had, on November 11, nullified the primary which produced Emenike and affirmed Ogah as the Abia APC governorship candidate.
