The forgery and impersonation trial of Pastor Moses Ayantoye of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) was on Wednesday adjourned to October 21 by an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
The delay came after the prosecution’s witness, DSP Charles Oluwatoki, admitted during cross-examination that he could not recall critical dates related to the investigation.
Oluwatoki, an officer from Zone 11 Police Command in Osogbo, told the court that a team of detectives had travelled to Ibadan to invite the pastor for questioning. He confirmed that Ayantoye later honored the invitation and gave a statement the same day, but was unable to remember the specific date of the visit or the statement.
Justice Racheal Akintola adjourned the case for continuation of hearing.
Oluwatoki further informed the court that exhibits K1 to K6 tendered before the court are the re-issued CAC Certificates of Incorporation that had been issued severally due to the deaths of trustees of CAC.
He, however, said that he was not aware whether the exhibits were the bases of the pending several cases in courts in Nigeria.
The witness admitted that exhibits T1 to T3 were the reports of his investigation on the defendant, dated Jan. 12, 2022.
The defence counsel later informed the court that he had finished the cross-examination of the witness while the prosecution Counsel, Mr Michael Lana prayed for an adjournment to enable him bring his second witness in the matter.
Justice Racheal Akintola then adjourned the case untill Oct.21 for further hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the prosecution counsel had on May 16, 2024, led witnesses in evidence and tendered some documents which were admitted as exhibits by the court.
The CAC pastor is facing a 31-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and fraud.
The prosecution counsel had alleged that the defendant forged the letterhead of CAC to write a letter which he later forwarded to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 11, Osogbo.
He alleged that false statements were made in the letter against pastors and the solicitor of the church, including officers of the Corporate Affairs Commission, to get them falsely prosecuted for criminal offences.
Lana said that the defendant, with intent to defraud, also came up with documents of the church without any authority and wrote a letter containing false information to the Chairman Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee to deprive an applicant seeking the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendant published a defamatory matter against the President and other Trustees of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria, in the national dailies of Oct. 18, 2021.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 117, 125A, 373, 375, 484, 473, 463, and 465 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
NAN reports that the defendant had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been granted bail.
