THE Oba-Elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Babalola Adebomi was yesterday arraigned at a Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital for alleged certificate forgery.
Babalola, 48, was arraigned on two charges, bordering on forging a certificate of the University of Ibadan and presenting the same to the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti for a job in 2008 and also forging his discharge certificate from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and presented same to the University Teaching Hospital for a job.
The charge sheet NO: FHC/AK/16/2024 reads in parts “That you Babalola Babatunde on or about the 15th day of January 2008 at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did make and uttered a forged University of Ibadan result which you knew to be false and with the intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine by the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti to offer you a job and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Babalola, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defence counsel, Attah Paul said he had filed an application for bail of the defendant and prayed the court to give the application an expeditious hearing.
The prosecution counsel, Itunun Osobu informed the court that he was yet to avail himself with the issues raised by the defendant’s counsel in his reply to the counter-affidavit he filed.
Osobu added that he would be presenting two witnesses before the court to prove the charges.
The Defendant’s counsel therefore prayed the court to release the Oba-Elect on bail, promising that he would not jump bail.
In his ruling, Justice Owoeye ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Assistant Inspector General of Police’s office, and adjourned the hearing till Thursday 23 May 2024
Eighteen-Eleven Media