Babalola Babatunde, the Oba-elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has been remanded in police custody by the Federal High Court in Akure over allegations of certificate forgery.
Babatunde faces a two-count charge of forging a University of Ibadan certificate and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which he allegedly used to secure a job at the University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti in 2008.
The charge sheet reads: “That you, Babalola Babatunde, on or about the 15th day of January 2008, at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make and utter a forged University of Ibadan result, knowing it to be false, with the intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine by the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, to offer you a job, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
“That you, Babalola Babatunde, on or about the 15th day of January 2008, at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make and utter a forged National Youth Service Corps Certificate, knowing it to be false, with the intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine by the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, to offer you a job, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.”
Babatunde pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Defense counsel Paul Attah requested bail for Babatunde, filing an application which he asked the court to consider. However, prosecution counsel Itunun Osobu stated that he had not yet reviewed the defense’s reply to the counter-affidavit and would present two witnesses to substantiate the forgery charges.
Attah assured the court that Babatunde would not jump bail and introduced a potential surety: Babatunde’s brother, a businessman based in Akure, and an in-law present in court who owns property in Akure.
Justice Owoeye ordered Babatunde to be detained at the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, pending the next hearing. The case was adjourned to Thursday, May 23, 2024.
