By Hassan Zaggi
The office of the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), has directed further investigation in the forgery charge pending against the Managing Director (MD) of First Bank and others before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Attorney General of the Federation had filed a three count charge in respect to which they were to be arraigned on March 28, 2023, which was suspended owing to the none service of the charge to the defendants
In the charge sheet filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice, the five defendants were accused, among other things, of forging a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with intent to commit fraud.
When the matter was called on Monday, the Prosecuting Counsel, Ndidi Okoha said: “Today is fixed for the arraignment of the MD of First Bank and other defendants, but she needs to inform the court of a development due to other issues that arose in the course of the investigation.
“That the DPP has taken steps to ensure that such issues are investigated before the arraignment of the defendants.”
However, DPP of the federation has written to the court in compliance with the rules of ACJA 2015 sections 107 1 4 and 108 1 2 and 5
Given the above sections, the DPP seeks the court’s indulgence to discontinue the above case before the court pending the final investigative report
After her oral application, Counsel to First Bank, Ade Oyebanji SAN, says he is not objecting the application to discontinuing the case, that he has filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter
The judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie in short ruling says that the letter from the DPP is not before the court
He ordered the office of the DPP to file a formal notice of discontinuance on the matter.
He adjourned the matter to June 7 for hearing on the application
