The governor in-waiting was arraigned by the Nigerian Police sometime in June 2016 for allegedly forging a Memorandum of Understanding between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited sometime in March 2011 and also the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun.
The criminal trial of Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, President of Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Abia State governor in-waiting, alongside an ex-employee of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Deji Somoye, brought before a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, was stalled on Wednesday due to the absence of the Magistrate.
There was no reason given for the absence of Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye. However, the court registrar gave 10 October, 2016 as a possible date for trial.
The governor in-waiting was arraigned by the Nigerian Police sometime in June 2016 for allegedly forging a Memorandum of Understanding between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited sometime in March 2011 and also the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun.
Mr. Ogah pleaded not guilty to the following charges: “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to wit: forgery.
“That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.
“That you, Deji Somoye, United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited design to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime.”
On the 30 June, 2016, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued Mr. Ogah a certificate of return as the legitimate governor of Abia State, following the ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court that the sitting governor Okezie Ikpeazu was guilty of tax evasion.
However, the absence of Justice Theresa Uzoukwu, Abia State chief judge, stalled his inauguration as the new governor of the State. It was later reported that Ikpeazu had obtained an injunction from the State high court, restraining the chief judge from swearing in Mr. Ogah.
The case has since remained unresolved.
