N500m Fraud: Badagry Prince Allegedly Forged Signatures, Forensic Expert Tells Court

A forensic examiner, Mr Rapheal Onwuzoribo, on Monday before an
Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, alleged that Semasa James, a
Badagry prince, forged the signatures of the administrators of his
late father’s estate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Police Special
Fraud Unit (SFU), alleged Semasa fraudulently converted a N500
million property belonging to his late father, Oba Afolabi James of
Kweme Land of Badagry, to personal use between 2000 and 2017 in
Lagos.

To prove the allegation of fraud against the defendant, the SFU
brought Onwuzoribo, a former Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP) to testify for the prosecution.

Onwuzoribo, who possesses over 27-years experience in forensic
examination, was formerly attached to the Forensic Science
Laboratory, Force CID, Alagbon, Lagos.

During cross-examination by Mr Martins Oyigbo, Semasa’s defence
counsel, Onwuzoribo had noted that the result of his forensic
analysis proved that the defendant forged the signatures of the
administrators of his late father’s estate.

The administrators whose signatures were allegedly forged by the
defendant are: Mrs Mausi Alakija James, late Mr Bolarinwa James and
Justice Adebayo Adeniji.

“My employer, Master Patterns Forensic Services Ltd., received a
purchase receipt, deed of assignment and the international passport
of one Bolarinwa James to analyse,” he said.

Onwuzoribo showed the court a side by side comparison of the
samples of the real signatures of the administrators and the
purported fake signatures.

The forensic expert noted that he had found that the real
signature samples of the administrators of the late king’s estate,
which were given to him by the complainant for analysis, to be
clear and legible.

“During the analysis, I was able to extract these master
patterns.

“My Lord these are the doubted (forged) signatures and these are
the undoubted (original) signatures.

“I used a doculus lumus analyzer, past scanner analyser, dosier
analyser, magnifier and other methods to arrive at this
conclusion,” Onwuzoribo said.

NAN reports that Semasa is standing trial alongside Afolabi
Kazeem, whom SFU alleges is an accomplice to the crimes.

In the seven-count charge, Semasa is charged with stealing,
forging of company resolution, fraudulent disposing of trust
property and forgery, while Kazeem and the prince are jointly
charged with conspiracy to defraud and cheating.

“To gain illegal access to his late father’s estate, the
defendant had in 2011, forged the resolution of a company called
CAJ Industrial Enterprises dated Nov. 28, 2011.

“He had purported that the resolution was signed by his father,
who was one of the directors of the company, meanwhile his father
had died nine years earlier on Jan. 30, 2002.

“The defendant had forged the resolution with the intent that it
will be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of any person,” Mr
O. O Olabisi, the prosecutor for the SFU said.

The prosecutor also noted that Semasa had also forged a purchase
receipt dated Nov. 15, 2004 and an undated deed of assignment
between himself, Bolarinwa James, Mrs Alakija (nee James), Hon.
Justice Adebayo Adeniji and Mrs Saidat Taiwo.

Semasa, according to the prosecution, had purported that the
receipt of payment and deed of assignment were signed by Bolarinwa,
Alakija and Justice Adeniji with the intent that it would be acted
upon as genuine to the prejudice of other persons.

The offences contravene Sections 383(1), 383(2)(f), 390(9),
421,434, 465 and 467 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation
of Nigeria 2004.

Following Onwuzoribo’s testimony, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo
adjourned the case until Feb. 8 and 13 for continuation of trial.
(NAN)