The Federal Government has filed a charge against First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), its Managing Director and three others for their alleged involvement in forgery.

Also named in the charge, marked: CR/266/2023 filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are two lawyers, Muftau Ande, Dibiaezue Chuks and the Branch Manager, First Bank, Utako branch, Abuja.

In the charge filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice, the five defendants are accused, among others, of forging a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School Mr. Francis Chukwumah Nwufor with intent to commit fraud.”

The defendants’ statements are also accused of dishonestly disposing of Nwufor of his property using the forged tripartite legal mortgage.

At the mention of the case on Tuesday, the defendants were absent.

On enquiry by the court, the lawyer to the prosecution, Ndidi Ezinwa-Ukoha said all the defendants were yet to be served with the charge, following which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned till May 8 for arraignment.

The defendants are, in count one, charged with forgery and criminal conspiracy contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code law and punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code Law.

The prosecution claimed that the defendants had sometimes in 2016, within the jurisdiction of the court conspired among themselves to forge a tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplains British School, Mr. Francis Chukwumah Nwufor with the intent to commit fraud and you thereby committed an offence.

They are, in count two, charged with forgery contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code law and punishable under section 364 of the same law were alleged to have sometimes in 2016, within the jurisdiction of the court, forged tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of the Whiteplians British School, Mr Francis Chukwumah Nwufor and thereby commit an offence.

The prosecution alleged in count three that the defendants committed a criminal breach of trust contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code law and punishable under section 312 of the same law.

The defendants are, in count three, accused of dishonestly disposing of Nwaf of his property while being entrusted with the tripartite legal mortgage, and thereby committed a criminal breach of trust.