A 65-year-old legal practitioner, Smart Agbonlahor, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Benin for allegedly forging a land document.

He was arraigned alongside a 55-year-old man, Uwangue Osaigbovo, on Wednesday for allegedly forging the land approval document of the Oba of Benin.

The two were arraigned on two counts bothering on conspiracy and forgery.

The prosecutor, Kehinde Iyawe, a police sergeant, said the defendants were charged in the case number MOGB/103c/2021 on July 19, 2021 along Benin/Auchi Road, Aduwawa.

Iyawe said the duo were charged within Oregbeni Magisterial District for purportedly forging an Oba of Benin approval by the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua on April 15, 1966, for land measuring 100ft by 200ft with beacon No N35/B, 46/B, 54/B, 55/B respectively, ‘knowing same to be false with the intention to claim ownership of the same landed property belonging to Mr. Henry Okhuarobo’ who is the majority leader of the Edo State House of Assembly.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 484 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the defunct Bendel State, 1976, which is now applicable in Edo.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them through their counsel and also appealed to the Chief Magistrate to grant them bail.

Without opposition to the bail by the prosecutor, Chief Magistrate Mutairu Oare granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with one surety in like sum.

Oare also directed that two recent passport photographs of the surety and defendants be deposited in the court.

He then adjourned the case to August 23, 2021 for hearing.