The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday arraigned one Prince Adikibi, before Justice U. N. Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt on a 2-count charge bordering on forgery.
The complainant, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, alleged that sometime in 2008 the defendant, a former Based Transceiver Station (BTS) land acquisition officer for MTN in Port Harcourt, allegedly forged and signed a renewal of Tenancy Mast Space Document to one Allwell Onyeotito, the landlord of the said property where an MTN Mast was erected.
According to investigation, the lease was meant for 10 years which was paid for by MTN but the defendant in a bid to defraud the complainant, forged and altered the company’s documents, thereby shortening the period of the contract to five years and diverted the balance of the funds for his personal use.
Count one reads: “that you Prince Spencer Adikibi on or about the 1st of April, 2008 at Port Harcourt within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court did forge a document titled “ RENEWAL OF TENANCY OF MAST SPACE OF OUR MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION FACILITY ON YOUR PROPERTY” purporting same to have been signed and issued by MTN Nigeria Communication Limited with the intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and Punishable under Section 1 (2) of the same Act”.
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, A. Osu, asked the court to fix a date for trial.
The defence counsel, J.N. Anderson, pleaded with the court to grant her client bail.
Justice Agomoh granted the defendant bail in the sum of Two hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000,00). She also ordered that he should deposit the originals of his Law Degree and Call to Bar certificates with the Registrar of the Court pending the determination of the case.