A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned for report a suit filed against Prof. Obiajulu Obikeze and four others to October 6, 2022.
The Judge is specifically waiting to get a report on the takeover of the matter by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Wednesday following a complaint by counsel for the AGF, Joe Agi, SAN, that he was yet to get the file in respect of the matter.
In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021 dated and filed on July 6, 2021, by Odu, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence around Jan.15, 2019, at Awa, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra.
Prof. Obikeze, Dr Raymond Ofor, Chief Israel Ezue, Sir Amobi Nwafor and Okafor Bethram IK, who are 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit, are being prosecuted over allegations bordering on forgery of chieftaincy documents.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Inspector-General of Police, was the earlier complainant before the AGF took over the suit.
Agi had, on June 10, informed that he had been authorised by the AGF to take over the matter from the police and asked for an adjournment to enable him study the case.
Justice Ekwo then fixed today to enable the AGF chamber review the suit and report back to the court.
At the resumed hearing, Agi also informed the court that though the matter was slated for report, pursuant to the fiat giving to him, he was still pursuing the case file.
He said he was in the process of getting the file.
The lawyer then applied for another date to enable him get the file.
But the defence counsel, Kelvin Nwufo, SAN, did not oppose the application.
The senior lawyer nevertheless raised a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court on the matter.
The judge has adjourned the matter until October 6 for report.
Obikeze, who works with the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, formerly known as Anambra State University Igbariam in Anambra, was arraigned on Feb. 22 alongside others on 11 counts.
