The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal office, on Friday, July 24, 2020 arraigned Belief Nathan Horsfall before Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on three count charges bordering on conspiracy and forgery.
He however, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against him.
One of the counts read: “That you Belief Nathan Horsfall and Maxwell Dokubo now at large on or about the 26th day of March, 2019 at the Federal High Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to forge a document titled: Certificate of Occupancy with Cert. No. 2018/0001/A000997 and file No: RSLS/000228 in order to perfect the bail condition of one Oghenekevwe Innocent Akinnwo, a defendant in charge No: FHC/PH/21/2019 between Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs. Oghenekevwe Innocent Akinnawo, knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under the same Act”.
In view of the “not guilty” plea by the defendant, prosecuting counsel, E. K. Ebipade asked the court for a short date for commencement of trial.
However, counsel to the defendant D.G Erekeosima, in an oral application, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail which was opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Muhammed ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending consideration of his bail application.
The matter was adjourned to October 14, for trial.
Horsfall got into trouble when a case of conspiracy and forgery was reported against him by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Rivers State.
As surety to one Innocent Akinnawo Oghenkevwo currently being prosecuted by the EFCC, the defendant who hails from Buguma, Rivers State, allegedly presented a forged Certificate of Occupancy to the court, claiming he owns a landed property in Eli-Wenenda Rumuchese, Ogbogoso, Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State. He equally collected the sum of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) for standing as surety for Innocent.
It was also discovered that he had used the same forged document to stand surety for three other persons.
