Court Dismisses Forgery Case Against Ado LG Chairman

A Chief Magistrate Court in Dutse has dismissed a long-standing certificate forgery and impersonation case against the Executive Chairman of Ado Local Government, Engineer Oche Sunday Oche.

The ruling, delivered by Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Ahmed Ilelah, ended a legal battle that began when one Michael Unogwu accused Oche of submitting a forged document and false signature to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during his 2018 bid for the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency seat.

The police had charged Oche with forgery and false declaration under oath, invoking Section 89 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. However, after reviewing arguments from Oche’s counsel, Barrister John Ochogwu, the court ruled that the case lacked merit and struck it out.

Chief Magistrate Ilelah cautioned the complainant against filing baseless suits meant to distract public officials from their duties.

Reacting to the verdict, Oche praised the judiciary for upholding justice and described the ruling as a victory for truth and integrity. He said he was aware of the political motives behind the allegations but remained focused on serving his people.

Barrister Ochogwu, speaking after the judgment, explained that the case stemmed from disputes within the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2018 primaries, where Oche allegedly won the ticket but was sidelined by party leaders in Abuja. He added that the complaint resurfaced in 2022 when Oche again declared interest in contesting the House of Representatives seat.

With the latest decision, all charges of forgery and impersonation against Engineer Oche Sunday Oche have been officially dismissed, bringing the case to a close.