Dr. Samson Uche Ogah, who was on Thursday given a Certificate of Return as the Governor of Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission, is enmeshed in a fraud case.
Ogah was arraigned alongside three others by the Police before a Magistrate Court in Lagos on July 16.
He is due to be back in the court on August 4 as the Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Ayeye, adjourned the case after their arraignment and subsequent bail.
He was granted bail in the sum of N200,000.
Ogah, who pleaded not guilty, is also to produce a surety in like sum.
The same bail conditions were extended to the other three accused.
Others charged alongside Ogah are his company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited; the United Bank for Africa; and a staff of UBA, Deji Somoye.
They were accused of having forged the signature of one Bridget Adeosun and a Memorandum of Understanding between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Ogah’s company, Master Energy and Gas Limited.
The police prosecutor, ASP Henry Obiazi, told the court that the offences for which they were arraigned contravened sections 363 (3)(u), 408 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The charges read in part: “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah ‘m’ and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Forgery and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 409 of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2011.
“That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah ‘m’ and others at large on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun ‘f’ and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited with an intent that it may be in any way be used or acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 363(3)(u) of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2011.
“That you, Deji Somoye ‘m’ United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited designs to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime.”
Ogah, who was issued the Certificate of Return by INEC on Thursday, is believed to be desperate to clinch the governor’s seat so as to secure immunity against his prosecution for the criminal charges.
Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees some political office holder immunity against prosecution.
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