My uncle forged my signature to remove my stake from family company — Witness

Dr. Walter Ezeigbo, a police witness, on Monday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that his uncle, Christian Ezeigbo, forged his signature in the bid to remove his name from the Board of Directors of a family company.
Ezeigbo made the revelation while giving his evidence-in-chief before Justice Taiwo Taiwo.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while the Inspector General of Police is the complainant in the criminal matter with number: FHC/ABJ/CR/287/2015, Christian and Josephine Obineme are 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.
The suit has a five-count amended charge.
Walter’s father, late Godfrey, and his two brothers, late John and Christian, jointly owned a company, Jefrics Nigeria Limited.
At the resumed trial, the witness, while responding to questions from Counsel to the  I-G, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), said after the death of his father, Godfrey Ezeigbo, in 2000, he expected that a member of his family would be appointed as a Director.
“I never attended any meeting as board members since my father died,” Walter, who is based in the US, told the court.
The witness, who is the first police prosecution witness, said the company, a conglomerate, deals in oil and gas as an independent marketer, sale of snacks and biscuits, among others.
He said though his father and John were no more, Christian had continue to manage the company without carrying anyone along.
Walter told the court that instead of inviting the deceased family members, his (Walter’s) signature was forged as having consented to be a director in the company.
“I wrote to the I-G that the signature in the company’s documents is not my signature, and I provided the I-G with my signature,” he said.
When the documents were shown to him, he confirmed them and the court admitted them as exhibits.
Counsel to the defendants, Alex Ejesieme, in a cross examination, asked him if his father, before he died, made any will.
Ejesime asked: “Did your father make any will before his death?”
“No,” Walter said.
The lawyer also asked him if his uncle, John, drafted his will before he passed on.
“I don’t know,” he responded.
He told the court that his uncle died in 1986.
When the lawyer asked him when he left Nigeria for the US, Walter said in 1981.
He then asked: “With the death of John Ezeigbo, the company was left for who?”
“My late father and Sir Christian Ezeigbo continued with the company,” Walter responded.
When asked how he got the documents he tendered in court, the witness said through the Corporate Affairs Commission.
He said he lodged the complaint to the I-G’s office about 2007 or 2008.
Justice Taiwo, after the cross examination, adjourned the matter till March 18.
The charges read in part: “That you Christian Ezeigbo ‘M’ 75 years of Creek road Onitsha and Josephine Obineme ‘F’ 54years of No.54 Zik Avenue Onitsha on or about the 30th day of Juiy, 2005, at Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court conspired to commit felony to wit: fraudulent making a forged board resolution to alter the structure of JEFRICS NIGERIA LTD by appointing yourselves and the following as directors without their consent: Mr. Ambrose Ezeigbo, Walter Ezeigbo and Chief J.C Okoli and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
“That you Christian Ezeigbo ‘M’ 75years of Creek road Onitsha and Josephine Obineme ‘F’ 54years of No.54 Zik Avenue Onitsha while acting in concert without lawful authority and with intent to defraud JERICS NIGERIA LTD utters Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Form C07 and appointed yourselves as directors of the company and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17, Laws Of the Federation, 2004.”