(supra) states the ingredients of the offence of forgery and
uttering of a false document.
To prove the offence under count 3 of the charge, the
prosecution relied on the evidence of PWs3, 4 exhibits 7 and
22.
I have perused the evidence of PWs3 and 4. PW3 is the
investigating officer from Independent Corrupt Practices and
other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in this case. PW3
narrated the course of his investigation activities pursuant to a
petition written on behalf of PW4, exhibit 3. PW3 testified as
follows:“When we studied the policy file of Fine Trust
Academy, we discovered that some pages were
removed and missing. We now discovered that
Fine Trust Academy applied for the land since
1997 three years before the allocation letter to
Pax Education Resource. In the application of
Fine Trust Academy, we discovered that the
date of the application form was altered by the
1st Defendant from 1997 to 2005”
PW3 further testified in his evidence in-chief thus:“We now called the Petitioner, Mr. Effiong and
he said that he was able to photocopy the
application
before
submission
to
Abuja
Municipal Area Council (AMAC).” PW3 stated:- “
the date that was altered was given to us by the
Petitioner which was 1997.”
On the otherhand, PW4 in his evidence stated generally the
contact between himself and DW4 i.e the 1st Defendant as
regards the allocation of Plot SS1 Jikwoyi Extension III that
culminated into the police arraigning him before the Magistrate
Court. However, under cross examination by the 1st
Defendant’s Counsel, PW4 testified as follows:“I can see exhibit 7. When I was given the
application form there was no official stamp at
the left hand corner. Further, the alteration on
the date was not there.”
56