A Magistrate court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State on Friday sentenced a 73-year-old trader, Bashir Alabi, to two years imprisonment for possession of fake vehicle documents.

The Court also ordered the remand of three others; Ogunmoroti Akindele (56) a trader at Kilanko Area, Ilorin, Idowu Adebisi (73) a business centre operator at G.R.A, Ilorin and Johnson Ariyo, (32) a computer operator at G.R.A, Ilorin who all pleaded not guilty to alleged forging, printing and manufacturing of fake vehicle documents.

The four men were being prosecuted for alleged falsification of vehicle documents which was brought to the Court by the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service.

Bashir Alabi of Gbagba Area, Ilorin and three others were arraigned before the Court for alleged falsification of vehicle documents.

Police First Information Report said that Bashir Alabi was handed over to the Police for investigation on Monday, 21st March 2022, having confirmed by the KW-IRS Motor Licensing Authority office Pake, Ilorin, that vehicle documents presented for processing by Bashir were fake.

The FIR further stated that the additional three suspects were nabbed by the Monitoring Unit of the Kwara State Police Command for having incriminating documents in their possession and for involvement in the trade of printing and selling of fake Kwara State Vehicle Documents.

“A further investigation by the police also established recovery of forged and fake Kwara State Vehicle Documents from the shop of one Jamiu, who is now at large,” the report further said.

“Having established a case of falsification, forgery and conspiracy by the police, all suspects were arraigned before Chief Magistrate A. M. Ibrahim on the 23rd of March 2022.

The first accused person, Bashir Alabi, pleaded guilty to the offences as charged, and the trial Magistrate convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of fine.

The three other co-accused persons who pleaded not guilty to the charges were ordered by the Magistrate to be remanded in the custody of the Federal Correctional Service facility, Ilorin, pending further trial of the case.

The case was adjourned till 19th April 2022 for hearing.

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman, KW-IRS, Shade Omoniyi, has warned individuals in the act of revenue diversion and racketeering to desist from these acts to avoid the wrath of the law.

She also enjoined the people of the state to deal directly with revenue officers of the KW-IRS at the various revenue touch points located across the state, or transact through the online platforms of the Service and desist from illegal patronage of agents for any revenue transaction.

Culled from PUNCH.