By ADESHOLA SOYELE

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Tuesday arraigned two men before the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos for allegedly forging official documents of the organisation.

But the duo, Isong Michael and Ojo Samuel, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge made against them.

The Principal State Counsel of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Yusuf Lawan, who represented the agency, told Justice Tijani Ringim that both defendants conspired to forge an SON receipt marked APP/243835, knowing the same to be false, and with the intent that it may be acted upon as genuine, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 465, 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C39, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The first defendant was also arraigned for allegedly evading the payment of N14,700 as a service charge payable to the SON, an offence contrary to and punishable under section 31(1) of the SON Act, 2015.

The alleged offences were said to have been committed on March 18, 2022, at Olawole market in the Apapa area of the state.

If found guilty, the defendants risk a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment and a fine of not less than N1 million.

After their pleas were taken, the prosecutor applied to the vacation judge for the defendants to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility, and for the case file to be remitted to the regular court for trial to fully commence in May after the Easter vacation.

But the defence counsel, MacAnthony Aikharialea, sought the court’s permission for a short date to file and hear their bail applications during the vacation period which ends on Friday next week.

In his ruling, Justice Ringim ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre and adjourned till April 19 for the matter to be heard by another vacation judge, Justice Abimbola Awogboro. (Channels TV)

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