A High Court in Umuahia, Abia State capital, has dismissed a certificate (name) forgery suit filed against the spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu by Okey Ezeala, who alleged name forgery on his academic certificates.
Ezeala, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, filed a case against the legislator, claiming that there was a name discrepancy in his academic certificates.
In the court judgement delivered by Justice A.O. Chijioke yesterday, the Judge dismissed the suit against Kalu, describing it as malicious and frivolous.
The court said the claimant failed to differentiate or prove his claims of forgery and impersonation against Kalu, adding that the legislator fully complied with the law in his change of name.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the judgement, the lead counsel to Kalu, K.C Nwufor (SAN), expressed happiness over the court ruling, saying, however, that his client’s character has been defamed, and that they are preparing to file an action against the claimant and his co-detractors to the tune of N5 billion for defamation.
He said: “It is a day for justice, and I am happy that justice has been done. As you can see, this was a frivolous and malicious suit aimed at defaming the clean reputation of one of the best legislators Abia State has ever sent to the National Assembly. It was aimed at denting his reputation as the image-maker and spokesperson of the National Assembly.”
