Ekiti Oba-Elect, Arraigned, Detained For Alleged Certificate Forgery

By Ayodele Oni

Few days to his coronation, an Oba-elect in Ekiti state, Babalola Babatunde has been detained in Police custody on the orders of the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

He is facing charges of alleged certificate forgery among others.

Babatunde, the Oba-Elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti state was arraigned on a two count charge bordering on forgery.

The Oba-elect was arraigned for allegedly forging a certificate from the University of Ibadan and presented same to the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti for a job in 2008.

He was, also, alleged to have forged a discharge certificate from the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) and presented same to the University Teaching Hospital for a job.

The suspect, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

The Counsel to the 48-year-old monarch-elect.

Mr Paul Attah, told the Court that he had filed an application on notice for bail and asked the court to give the application hearing.

However, the prosecution Counsel, Itunun Osobu, told the Court that he was yet to read the issues raised by the defendant’s Lawyer in his reply to the counter-affidavit he filed.

Osobu told the court that he would be presenting two witnesses before the Court to prove the charges of forgery against the suspect.

The defendant’s Counsel prayed the Court to release the Oba-Elect on bail, promising that he would not jump bail.

Justice Owoeye asked if the defendant had any surety and Attah answered that the defendant has a brother who is a businessman based in Akure, Ondo State capital.

He also told the Court that the defendant’s in-law was in court. According to Attah, the defendant’s in-law has a property in Akure.

However, Attah prayed the court to present the defendant to the nearest police station pending the adjournment date.

In his ruling, Justice Owoeye ordered that the defendant be detained in the office of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, while he adjourned the hearing till Thursday, May 23, 2024