Court Orders Detention Of Oba-Elect For Certificate Forgery

A Federal High Court in Akure has ordered the detention of Prince Babalola Adebomi, the Oba-elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on charges of certificate forgery.

According to the charge sheet, Adebomi was arraigned on two counts. He allegedly forged a certificate from the University of Ibadan and presented it to the University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for a job in 2008.

Additionally, he is accused of forging a discharge certificate from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and using it for the same purpose at the University Teaching Hospital.

The court issued the detention order on Monday.

The charge sheet No. FHC/AK/16/2024 reads, inter alia: “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 utter a forged University of Ibadan result which you knew to be false and with 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.

“That you, Batalola 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 utter a forged National Youth Service Corps Certificate, which you knew to be false and with 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 12 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.”

Babalola pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney, Attah Paul, mentioned that he had filed an application on notice and requested the court to schedule a hearing for it.

The prosecution attorney, Itunun Osobu, told the court that he had not yet reviewed the issues raised by the defense in their reply to the counter-affidavit. Osobu also stated that he planned to present two witnesses to support the charges against Babalola.

In response, the defense attorney asked the court to release Babalola on bail, assuring that he would not flee. When questioned about a surety, Attah Paul indicated that Babalola’s younger brother, a businessman in Akure, could act as a surety.

 Additionally, he mentioned that the defendant’s in-law owned property in Akure and requested that Babalola be presented to the nearest police station until the adjournment date.

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