The police in Abuja have charged Senator Ademola Adeleke with certificate forgery.He was charged this morning at an Abuja magistrates’ court.
Adeleke is also the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, in the election held last September.
An election tribunal validated his election in a split ruling in March. An Appeal court will shortly pronounce its verdict on who was the real winner between him and Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
The allegation of certificate forgery had dogged the senator in the run-up to the election in the state, leading to his arrest before the poll.
President Muhammadu Buhari waded into the case and ordered the police to release him.
Recently, Justice Othman Musa of the FCT High Court declared the Secondary School Certificate presented by Adeleke to INEC as fake.
A suit is pending in the high court seeking the declaration of his senatorial seat vacant.
Adeleke has appealed the judgment.
In the magistrates’ court on Tuesday, Adeleke was admitted to bail in the sum of N2 million.
The police arraigned Adeleke in a Mpape Chief Magistrates’ Court, on five counts of certificate forgery.
Adeleke was charged with alleged false statement that he attended Ede Muslim Grammar School in Ede, Osun State and he obtained WASC, attached statement of result.
The police also alleged that Adeleke forged the school letter of attestation purported to have been signed by one Mr Abbas Khalid, the principal of the school.
The Magistrate, Alhaji Mohammed Zubairu, admitted Adeleke to bail with one surety in like sum.
Zubairu also ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
He also held that the court has jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Zubairu then adjourned the case until June 24, for further hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Simon Lough told the court that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 164, 164, 362, 362 and 364.
Adeleke pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Adebeyi Adeyosoye, prayed that the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms or self recognition.
He assured that his client will not jump bail as he is a reliable and well know citizen.
NAN reports that before the arraignment, Adeyosoye raised an objection over the jurisdiction of the court.
His objection was premised on grounds that a Higher Court on Monday, May 6, 2019, granted him leave to travel to the U.S. for medical attention from May 7, to June 9.
Adeyosoye also said that the court made an order restraining the police from arresting Adeleke.
He prayed that the court should adjourn the matter sine die, pending the determination of a similar suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Adeyosoye also said that the court has no jurisdiction to handle the matter.
He said the arraignment was a ploy to embarrass the defendant.
Adeyosoye also said it will be a breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
But the prosecution counsel, Lough, who did not object to the documents, said he was not served.
He opposed the application because, he said, the objection was misplaced and misconceived. The court did not say the defendant should not be arraigned in court.
Lough also said the court has the jurisdiction to handle the matter.
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