Court jails Obasanjo’s in-law for forgery

The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State has sentenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s in-law, Dr. John Abebe, to seven-year imprisonment for forgery.

The presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Abebe accordingly.

Justice Dada, however, gave the convict a fine option of N50 million to be paid within 30 days in lieu of imprisonment.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Abebe, who is a younger brother to the late former First Lady, Stella Obasanjo, for forgery.

The prosecution led by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, arraigned the convict on July 26, 2018, on a four-count charge of forgery, fabricating evidence, using fabricated evidence and attempt to pervert the course of justice before the Special Offences Court.

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The EFCC, in the charges, claimed that Abebe “knowingly forged” a November 30, 1995, letter written by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited to Inducon (Nigeria) Limited.

The anti-graft agency claimed that the businessman illegally inserted into page 2 of the said letter that “Also note that the ‘Buy-Out Option’ only applies to the pre-production stage of the NPIA. The $4 million buy-out is thus irrelevant from production of oil in any of our fields.”

The EFCC added that Abebe also attempted to “pervert the course of justice” by tendering the allegedly forged November 30, 1995, letter “as a fabricated evidence” in court, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/224/2010 between Dr. John Abebe, Inducon Nigeria Limited, and Statoil Nigeria Limited.

An oil company, Statoil Nigeria Limited, on June 22, 2010, accused Obasanjo’s in-law of forgery.

Statoil Nigeria Limited had alleged that Abebe forged parts of a Net Profit Interest Agreement (NPIA) dated November 30, 1995, which was drafted by British Petroleum (BP).

The Star