Abubakar Malami, the attorney general of the federation (AGF), says about 10 witnesses would testify in a suit filed against Obiajulu Obikeze and four others for forging chieftaincy documents.

Counsel for the AGF, Ewere Aliemeke, disclosed this on Friday before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

Upon resumed hearing, Mr Aliemeke, who held the brief of Joe Agi (SAN), informed that the matter was scheduled for a report.

“We are pleased to inform the court that we have been able to retrieve the file of the case from the office of the attorney general of the federation,” he stated.

“How many witnesses are you calling?” the judge asked.

“We are going to call about 10 witnesses,” he responded.

But Okey Obike, who appeared for the defendants, said an application seeking to dismiss the charge had been filed.

“It was filed on the 19th day of April, 2022,” he told the court. “We are saying that this charge is a complete abuse of court processes.”

MrAliemeke, who acknowledged the receipt of the application, said the prosecution had responded to the process.

“But we intend to add one or more things to the process filed by the previous counsel,” he added.

Mr Ekwo adjourned the matter until December 14 to hear the preliminary objection of the defence.

Mr Malami took over the case from the Nigeria Police, the former prosecutor.

Mr Obikeze (a professor), Raymond Ofor, Israel Ezue, Amobi Nwafor and Okafor Bethram IK, first to fifth defendants, respectively, are facing prosecution for forging chieftaincy documents.

Mr Obikeze, who works with the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, formerly known as Anambra State University, was arraigned on February 22 alongside others on 11 counts.

Mr Offor is the president-general of the Awa community in Orumba North LGA and a retired director with the Anambra education ministry. Mr Ezue is a tyre merchant. Mr Nwafor is an architect. Mr Bethram is a retired headmaster at a primary school in Agulu in Aniocha LGA of Anambra.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021 dated and filed on July 6, 2021, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence on January 15, 2019, at Awa, Orumba North local government area of Anambra.

In count one, the five defendants, and others now at large, were alleged to have conspired to commit a forgery contrary to section 3(6) and punishable under section 1(2) (c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of Nigeria, 2010.

While count two accused them of uttering forged documents, count three accused them of making “a forged letter to the special adviser to the governor of Anambra on chieftaincy and towns union matters.

(NAN)