The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, #EFCC, Port Harcourt’s Zonal office on Thursday, August 9, 2018 arraigned Adesola Bucnor (aka Ven. Major A.R.C.Bucnor) before Justice Adamu Turaki of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a five- count charge bordering on impersonation, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.
Bucnor is being prosecuted for posing as Brigadier General Dawuk Danfulani of Headquarter, Directorate of Chaplain Services Protestant, Nigerian Army, Lagos.
He allegedly “appointed” the Vice Chancelor, Rivers State University, Professor Blessing Diba, as Chief Command Patron of the Nigerian Army Chaplain Service and signed the “Appontment Letter” in the name of Brigadier General Dawuk Danfulani. In the letter, he solicited for financial support for the entertainment of guests invited to the installation of Dibia and a thanksgiving ceremony after his installation. To lend credence to the ” Appointment Letter”, Bucknor allegedly forged the logo of the Nigerian Army Chaplain Services and signed the document accordingly.
Count one read: “that you Adesola Bucknor (aka Ven. Maj. A.R.C.Bucknor) sometimes in May 2018 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court, did attempt to obtain money from one Prof. Blessing Didia, Vice Chancellor, Rivers State University, under the pretence that he has been appointed as the Chief command patron , Nigeria Army Chaplain Services Port Harcourt a pretence which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Related Offences Act 2006.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Sadiq Hussaini, applied for a date for the commencement of trial but the defense counsel, B.O. Tedeye informed the court that she was just informed of her client’s arraignment. She orally moved an application for bail saying the defendant had a reasonable surety to take him on bail. The court, however, told her to apply with a written application.
