By Orowo Victoria Ojieh
Yaba College of Technology ( YABATECH ) student Feyisara Otubambo, 20, and businessman Yusuf Ayoola, 49 have been charged before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged forgery.
The two are being tried over the forging of the school’s letterhead and the registrar’s signature. They are facing three counts of conspiracy, breach of peace, and forgery. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Dec. 11, 2021, in YABATECH premises, The Trumpet gathered.
She said that the first defendant (Ayoola) owned a cybercafe located on the school premises.
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The second defendant (Otubambo) was a student who had just finished the diploma programme and awaiting her certificate. According to the prosecutor, the second defendant paid the first defendant to forge a “To Whom It May Concern” letter on her behalf.
Olaluwoye said that the letter was meant to be given by the school to indicate that the student had completed her diploma programme and was expecting her certificate.
She stated that the first defendant forged the school’s letterhead and the registrar’s signature and issued the letter to Otubambo.
She said the offences violate sections 411, 168 (d) and 363(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Section 365 (1) prescribes a three-year jail term for forgery, while Section 411 provides two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Chief Magistrate, Linda Balogun, approved the first defendant to a bail of N500, 000 with two sureties and she granted the second defendant N200, 000 bail with one surety.
The Magistrate directed that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction with evidence of tax payment to Lagos State Government. She said that the sureties must also submit copies of their National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to the court.
She further ordered the second defendant to submit her international passport to the court. Balogun adjourned the case until April 13 for mention.
