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THEY SHIPPED ARMS FROM TURKEY! Court grants five forgery suspects N100 million bail

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Justice Mario Nasir of the FCT High Court in Jabi on Thursday granted five forgery suspects bail in the sum of N20 million each.

The defendants are facing trial over alleged forgery in connection with the importation of firearms from Turkey last year.

They are Jude Ezirim, 36, Chijioke Ogbuezi, 47, Chidozie Okafor, 48, Eze Uchendu, 45, and Uchenna Ozumba, 45.

Nasir ordered the defendants to produce two sureties each that must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, adding that one must be a civil servant on Grade Level 12 and above.

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She further said that the appointment letters of the sureties must be presented.

The judge ordered that the case file should be sent back to the chief judge for reassignment of the case after the court’s vacation.

The defendants were arrested by the Intelligence Response Team, Force Headquarters in Abuja and arraigned in court on Sept. 3 over charges bordering on forgery and impersonation.

The defendants and one other at large allegedly forged the company name and logo of one Great James and presented themselves as shareholders of Great James Oil & Gas Ltd.

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The defendants allegedly used forged title document of the said company to clear a container, which was discovered to be prohibited firearms shipped from Turkey to Nigeria last September.

The defence counsel, Nesit Inyang, Obinna Ogbuagu and Evaristus Orji had filed a motion on notice for the bail of their clients.

Inyang, Counsel to Ezirim, filed a five paragraph affidavit and Ogbuagu, Counsel to Ogbuezi, filed a six-paragraph affidavit all dated Aug.30 with written addresses.

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Orji, Counsel to Okafor, Uchendu and Ozumba, filed a five paragraph affidavit with written addresses and adopted same as his oral submission.

The counsel prayed the court to exercise its discretion and grant bail to the defendants on liberal terms.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Malik Taiwo, however, opposed the bail and filed three counter-affidavits, urging the court to take into consideration the nature and gravity of the case and refuse bail. (NAN).

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