A Magistrate Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has ordered the arrest and detention of Former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah for forgery.
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The Abia state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a suit numbered UMSC/362/2022, accused Ogah of fabricating the party’s direct primary result sheet “with intent that it may be acted on as genuine”, despite not participating in the party’s May 26, 2022 governorship primary.
The plaintiff submitted that Ogah’s “falsification” was detrimental to the party and Ikechi Emenike, whom the party recognises as its “authentic governorship flagbearer”.
The offence, according to Abia APC, is in contravention of section 465 of the Criminal Code (as it applies in Abia) and punishable under section 467.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the presiding magistrate, Ngozi Nwangwa, held that the former minister, who was not present in court, “is guilty as charged”.
She ruled, “I’m convinced that the defendant has no defence.
“I hereby commit Dr Uche Ogah for the offence as charged.”
However, the magistrate ordered security agencies to arrest Ogah wherever he may be and hold him in any correctional facility until the day he is brought to court for sentencing.
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Reports reveal that Ogah had failed to appear before the court since November when the matter came up for hearing, and he also did not have a legal representative.
The magistrate, however, said the former minister had written a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the Attorney-General alleging “bias and compromise”.
