Alleged Forgery: FG Withdraws Suit Against Leadership Journalists!

The federal government has withdrawn the alleged forgery of Presidential Bromide case filed against two journalists with LEADERSHIP Newspapers at an Abuja High Court.
The journalists, Mr Tony Amokeodo, the Group News Editor and Chibuzor Ukaibe, a political correspondent, are standing trial for allegedly forging a presidential bromide published in the newspaper on April 3, 2013.

The government, in a letter signed by the director of Public Prosecution, Muhammad Diri, addressed to lawyer to the federal government in the matter, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), directed him to discontinue the case.

The letter with reference number FCT/HC/CR/6755/2013 was dated September 23, 2015.
At the last adjourned date, Awomolo sought to tender a copy of the letterhead from the Presidency to prove that the one published by the newspaper was forged.
But the lawyer to the journalists, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), raised objection on the grounds that the document sought to be tendered was from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President and not from the Office of the President, arguing that the witness, Ibrahim Bako, had stated under oath that he got it from the Office of the President.

Justice Usman Musale agreed with Falana and rejected the document.
Earlier, the court had summoned former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear and give evidence at the trial.

Justice Musale, issued the summons (subpoena ad testificandum), dated July 15, 2013 to the former President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, requesting him to come to court with documents to give evidence in the matter.
The former president was to be served with the subpoena through the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The subpoena requested the former president to appear before the court daily until the case is tried, to give evidence and also to produce the purportedly forged document entitled ‘Presidential Directive’ having on it the seal of the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, published on the front page of Leadership Newspaper of 3rd April, 2013.

The federal government through Awomolo appealed the ruling of the court which summoned President Jonathan.
The federal government, had on June 27, 2013 re-arraigned the two LEADERSHIP journalists on an alleged 11-count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery.
The journalists were, however, granted bail by the judge, having pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence.

Source LEADERSHIP