By Martin Cole-
A Magistrate Court in Nigeria has convicted the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, and committed him to prison for forgery in the governorship contest for his state in the forthcoming elections in the country.
The ruling follows a criminal complaint by members of his APC party that he did not participate in the governorship primary election of the party held on May 26, 2022, but went ahead and forged the party’s direct primary election result sheet “with intent that it may be acted on as genuine”.
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According to the complainant, the forgery perpetrated by Ogah was prejudicial to the party and its authentic governorship flag bearer in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, “thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 465 of the Criminal Code (as applicable in Abia) and punishable under Section 467.”
Ogah who was absent in court also did not have a legal representative. He has attempted to go for the governorship post on two previous occasions without success, and was accused of trying to forge his way into contention out of desperation.
In passing her judgement, the Presiding Magistrate Ngozi N. Nwangwa held that the defendant/respondent “is guilty as charged”, adding, “I am convinced that the defendant has no defence”
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Representatives of his party have dismissed the ruling as, ‘not carrying weight’, pointing to plans for an appeal.
The forthcoming 2023 elections in Nigeria has been dogged with controversy and internal fighting by numerous governorship candidates across different parties.
Two months before election day, several governor aspirants are still contesting their party’s choice of representatives and alleging fraud or dishonesty of one type or another, with many cases still pending in court.
According to the complainant, the forgery perpetrated by Ogah was prejudicial to the party and its authentic governorship candidate in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, “thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 465 of the Criminal Code (as applicable in Abia) and punishable under Section 467.”
The trial Magistrate Ngozi N. Nwangwa in her judgement held that the defendant/respondent “is guilty as charged”, adding, “I am convinced that the defendant has no defence.
“I, hereby, commit Dr Uche Ogah for the offence as charged.”
The court ordered security agencies to arrest him anywhere he is found and keep him in the nearest correctional centre pending the day he would be brought to court for sentencing.
In a written affidavit, the State Secretary, Chief Chidi Avaja, PW1 had tendered six exhibits on allegation of forgery numbered “A – F” against Dr. Ogah and which the party’s counsel, Mr Vigilus Nwankwo described as documents that are “unchallenged and incontrovertible evidence” by the respondent.
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