The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has filed fresh charges against a legal practitioner, Bob Chiedozie Ugu and five others bordering on alleged forgery of title documents, theft, conspiracy and impersonation.
The Commissioner of Police had initially filed a 7-count charge marked No: FCT/HC/CR/302/2023, against Bob Chiedozie Ugu; Samuel Udo-Imeh; Ifeanyi Abaekwueme and a private firm, Earth Conscience Limited, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
But the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi SAN, took over the prosecution of the case and increased the charge from 7 counts to 12 in a fresh charge dated April 8, 2025.
The fresh charge which was filed by the prosecution Counsel, Abdul Ter Kohol, also include two additional defendants, Nnaemeka Chukwueke, a Civil Engineer and NBC Infrastructure West Africa Limited.
Meanwhile, the defendants who had pleaded not guilty to the previous charge, are yet to take their plea in the fresh charges.
The prosecution had specifically told the court that the defendants allegedly forged title documents including the Power of Attorney with fraudulent intention of converting the property belonging to Nexune Nigeria Limited.
While Bob Chidozie, an Abia State-based legal practitioner, who also doubles as Managing Director of Earth Conscience Limited, was a former Commissioner for Works in Abia State, Samuel Udoh-Imeh, who works in the Information Technology and Services Sector, is also an Abuja-based businessman.
On his part, Ifeanyi Abaekwueme who is a Town Planner by profession, is a career civil servant with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Federal Capital Development Authority(FCDA) and owner and founding director of Earth Conscience Limited.
The defendants who were charged with conspiracy, forgery, and dishonesty were alleged to have conspired amongst themselves to commit an offence, namely forgery, between January 2015 and December 2022 at the FCT, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 97(1) of the Penal Code Law.
They were charged for committing forgery with intent to convert the property of Nexune Nigeria Ltd, by fraudulently signing the signature of Mr. Olusegun Sanni, on a document titled: Memorandum of Understanding concerning plot No: 54 DO6 situated at Karsana West, FCT, Abuja, with intention of causing it to be believed that he signed the document when they knew same was false.
That the defendants committed an offence to convert the property of Nexune Nigeria Ltd by forging the signature of Mr. Olusegun Sanni on the document titled: Irrevocable Power of Attorney concerning the said property, to cause to sign the document when they knew same was false.
The prosecution further accused the defendants of forging the signature of Olusegun Sanni on a document titled: “Board of Resolution of Nexune Ltd adopted on February 20th, 2015, appointing Messers Earth Conscience Ltd as its lawful Attorney with the intention of causing it to be believed that he signed the document when they knew same to be false.
That they committed an offence of forgery by dishonestly issuing an Eco Bank cheque with No: 75651801 in the sum of N500m on behalf of Nexune Ltd and in favour of Conscience Ltd, to cause Nexune Ltd loss of property.
The alleged offences are contrary to sections 95; 97 (1); 362; 364 among others of the Penal code and punishable under same Penal code law.
The defendants are likely to be arraigned in June 17, 2025 before Justice Samira Umar Bature of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.