The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday tendered in evidence a report of a handwriting analyst which it said had confirmed that the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Chief Dayo Soremi and four other persons, forged a signature to facilitate the substitution of the candidate for Remo Federal Constituency, Dave Salako, during the last general elections.
The report, which was written by a senior forensic expert, was tendered before an Abuja Senior Magistrate Court headed by Oyebola Oyewunmi, where Soyemi and four others – Semiu Oladipo, the Ogun State PDP Secretary, Adeja Olokun, Abiodun Taiwo and Chief Olufemi Dehinsilu are standing trial.
At the resumption of trial on Tuesday, a Chief Superintendent of Police, Adebowale Williams, tendered the document, ‘a Report of Handwriting Analyst’ authored by a Senior Forensic Document Examiner, DSP Olufemi Ayodele and marked Ex ‘A’.
Williams was led in evidence-in-chief by the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough.
Williams said the handwriting analysis had revealed that the purported signature of Salako on the letter of voluntary withdrawal submitted by Soremi and others to the Independent National Electoral Commission did not match his (Salako’s) true signature.
He also revealed that the handwriting on the contentious letter of voluntary withdrawal was at variance with Salako’s true handwriting.
Parts of the document reads, “Examination and Result: Forensic examination and comparison conducted into the identifying characteristics of the handwriting/signature on the disputed document marked ‘B’ and those found and noted on the contemporary Standard Specimen marked A-A1 via FOSTER+FREEMAN document Comparator machine, WALTEX LENS and Video Spectral, revealed amidst others defective line qualities on the Signature, tremulous curvatures, unnatural starts and terminal, common to a class of forged signature known as FREE-HAND SIMULATION and when these aforementioned trade marks and traits were compare with the master model specimen signature submitted for examination, the CONTRASTING features were obvious.
“Further examination of the handwriting on the disputed document revealed that the author of the submitted Specimen handwriting marked A1 cannot be held responsible to have written the controversial letter marked Specimen ‘B’.”
The case was adjourned till August 9, 2011, for further hearing.
It is expected that the Police will also on that day tender in evidence the video tape where Adeja Olokun was announcing Salako as winner of the primaries.
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