FG, LEADERSHIP newspaper case fixed for June 8

An Abuja High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja has fixed June 8, for the continuation of the trial of two journalists with LEADERSHIP newspaper accused of forging a Presidential Bromide.

At the last adjourned date, further hearing was stalled in the matter due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Usman Musale.

He was said to have traveled out of the country.

The Group News Editor of the newspaper, Mr. Tony Amokeodo and Senior Correspondent, Mr. Chibuzor Ukaibe, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them during their arraignment.

In the suit, the federal government had accused the journalists and the newspaper of alleged involvement in forging a presidential bromide.

The trial was supposed to continue last Tuesday but parties in the matter were told that the judge travelled outside the country.

The court had rejected the letter-head paper which the prosecution claimed was from the Office of the Chief of Staff to President Jonathan.

Lawyer to the federal government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), had intended to prove that the bromide as published by the LEADERSHIP newspaper was forged and therefore did not emanate from the president.

The first prosecution witness from federal government, Mr. Ibrahim Bako, had testified that while investigating the forgery allegation, he approached the Presidency and was given a blank letter head paper from the Office of the President by one Abiye White, an assistant director.

The police officer said he discovered in the course of the investigation that the bromide and the Coat of Arms did not tally with the document he got from the Presidency.

Awomolo, had also sought to tender a Certified True Copy of the letter head paper which the witness claimed was obtained from the Office of the President.

But the lawyer to the journalists, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the document.