New judge takes over lawmaker’s forgery case in Plateau

A new judge, at the Federal High Court in Jos, Justice D. V. Agishe, yesterday presided over the continuation of forgery case against a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, who is being challenged by one Abdul Nasir.

Justice Musa Kurya, who was initially handling the case, had been reportedly suspended amidst speculations of irregularities in respect to the way the case was being handled.

During the last sitting of the suspended judge on October 12, 2016, the Registrar of the University of Jos, Monday M. Danjem, had tendered evidence which suggested that the diploma certificate in Business Administration,

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State yesterday said that APC governors and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party have agreed to approach Acting President Yemi Osinbajo over issues relating to the forthcoming mid-term convention of the party.

Lalong hinted this at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, while fielding questions from journalists on the which the embattled lawmaker submitted to INEC ahead of the APC primary election in 2015, was not issued by the university.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to Baba Hassan, Barrister M. M. Nyelong, drew the attention of the court to a request he made in October, 2016, in which he demanded to amend his statement of defence, by withdrawing the “diploma certificate,” so as to rely on secondary certificate in defending the case.

Counsel to the plaintiff, David C. Ibeawuchi, who was not averse to the request, said the application would not in any way affect the case, saying the bone of contention was the “diploma certificate” submitted to INEC.

The case has been adjourned to June 14.