An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Thursday commenced hearing in a forgery case levelled against one Pastor Moses Ayantoye, of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).
The defendant is facing trial in a 31-count charge, bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation. The Prosecution Witness, DSP Charles Oluwatoki, while being led in evidence by the Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Michael Lana, said he was part of the team that investigated the case.
Oluwatoki said that he worked at the Police Zonal Criminal Investigations Department, Zone II, Osogbo.
However, effort by the prosecutor to tender some documents through the witness was objected to by the defendant’s counsel, Mr Anthony Daramola, who said he was not served with the document.
The prosecutor then prayed for adjournment, promising to supply the defendant’s counsel all the necessary documents in prosecuting the matter.
Justice Racheal Akintola, thereafter, adjourned the case till Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 for continuation of hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the prosecutor had alleged that the defendant forged the letterhead of CAC to write a letter which he later forwarded to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 11, Osogbo.
Lana alleged that false statements were made in the letter against pastors and the solicitor of the church, including officers of the Corporate Affairs Commission, to get them falsely prosecuted for criminal offences.
He said that the defendant, with intent to defraud, also came up with documents of the church without any authority and wrote a letter to the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee.
Lana further stated that the defendant provided false information to the Chairman, Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee, to deprive an applicant seeking the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant published a defamatory matter against the President and other Trustees of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria, in the national dailies of Oct. 18, 2021.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 117, 125A, 373, 375, 484, 473, 463, and 465 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
NAN reports that the defendant had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been granted bail.
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