The Oba-Elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Babalola Adebomi, on Monday, faced charges of certificate forgery at the Federal High Court in Akure, Ondo State capital.
Babalola, aged 48, was arraigned on two counts of forging a University of Ibadan certificate and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The charges alleged further that the monarch-elect presented these forged documents to the University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti in 2008 to secure employment.
The charge sheet, numbered FHC/AK/16/2024, read 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 uttered 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 15 day of January 2008 at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make and uttered 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, and his lawyer, Attah Paul, requested the court to hear an application on notice he had filed and prayed the court to give the application hearing.
The prosecution lawyer, Itunun Osobu, stated that he had not yet reviewed the issues raised in the defendant’s reply to his counter-affidavit.
Osobu indicated his intention to present two witnesses to support the charges.
Meanwhile, Babalola’s lawyer requested bail for his client, assuring the court that Babalola would not abscond.
When asked if the defendant has any surety, Attah said Babalola has a younger brother who is a businessman based in Akure, Ondo State capital, adding that the defendant’s in-law has a property in Akure and prayed the court to present the defendant to the nearest police station pending the adjournment date.
Justice Owoeye ruled to detain Babalola at the Assistant Inspector General of Police’s office and scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, May 23, 2024.
