The Ibadan Division of the Oyo High Court on Thursday commenced a hearing in a forgery case against Pastor Moses Ayantoye of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).

The defendant is facing trial in a 31-count charge bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation.

The prosecution witness, Charles Oluwatoki, was led in evidence by the Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Michael Lana. He said he was part of the team that investigated the case.

Mr Oluwatoki said he worked at the Police Zonal Criminal Investigations Department, Zone II, Osogbo.

However, the prosecutor’s effort to tender some documents through the witness was objected to by the defendant’s counsel, Anthony Daramola, who said he was not served with the document.

The prosecutor then prayed for adjournment and promised to supply the defendant’s counsel with all the necessary documents to prosecute the matter.

After that, Justice Racheal Akintola adjourned the case until October 8 and 15 to continue the hearing.

The prosecutor had alleged that the defendant forged the letterhead of CAC to write a letter, which he later forwarded to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 11, Osogbo.

Mr Lana alleged that false statements were made in the letter against pastors and the solicitor of the church, including officers of the Corporate Affairs Commission, to get them falsely prosecuted for criminal offences.

He said that the defendant, with intent to defraud, also came up with documents of the church without any authority and wrote a letter to the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee.

Mr Lana further stated that the defendant provided false information to the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee chairman to deprive an applicant seeking the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant published a defamatory matter against the president and other Trustees of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria, in the national dailies of October 18, 2021.

(NAN)