Ex insurance workers charged with forging directors’ signatures.

Two former employees of the Mutual Benefit Life Assurance Limited on Monday appeared before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, over alleged forgery of the signatures of directors of the company.

The accused -- Adeola Wahaab (40) and Adamo Ibrahim (28) -- were charged with conspiracy , impersonation, stealing and receiving stolen property, but they pleaded not guilty to the 14-count charge before Magistrate T. A. Abolarinwa.

The prosecutor, Insp. Jack Asuquo, said the accused forged the signatures of the company’s Group Managing Director, Akin Ogunsiji; the Executive Director, Toye Olatunji, and the Managing Director, Femi Asenuga.

Asuquo said the accused forged the signatures of the three directors on three Zenith Bank cheques for N800,000 each.

He said the cheques were dated July 6.

The prosecutor said the cheques, belonging to the insurance company, were fraudulently issued by the accused in favour of one Kabir Ibrahim.

The duo also forged a national driver’s licence No. JBD06566AA1 dated July 31, 2009 with the name Kabir Ibrahim.

The licence was forged with the intent to be used to the prejudice of Mutual Benefit Life Assurance Ltd. he said.

Asuquo submitted that the accused committed the alleged crimes along with some others still at large on July 20 at No. 19/21 Town Planning Way, Ilupeju.

He said the alleged offences contravened Sections 390 (9), 427, 465, 468 and 516 of the Criminal Code of Lagos State, and punishable with seven years’ imprisonment.

The court granted the prayers of the prosecution that the accused be remanded in the Ikoyi Prisons to prevent their interfering with ongoing investigation.

The case has been adjourned till Aug. 19 for further hearing.