COSON crisis: Efe Omorogbe, one other arrested, arraigned for forgery

The crisis rocking the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), a collective management society for musical works and sound recordings, got messier yesterday, as Police from Zone II Command Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, arraigned the music promoter and founder Now Muzik Limited, before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for alleged impersonation and forgery.

Omorogbe, 47, well known in the music industry for managing one of Nigeria and Africa’s leading hip-pop star, Tuface Idibia, was arrested alongside Mr. Joel Ajayi, 61 on Wednesday, April 4 and arraigned on Thursday, April 5 before Chief Magistrate O. O. Oshin. They are standing trial on a three-count charge of forgery, use of a false document and breach of peace.

According to the Prosecuting Officer, Sergeant Friday Mameh, the defendants (Omorogbe and others) had stormed the meeting of venue of the COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, at No. 41, Oluwaleyimu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, with thugs on December 7, 2017 and conducted themselves likely to cause breach of peace.

Mameh alleged that Omorogbe and others forged the COSON letter headed papers, “with intent to defraud, knowingly use the forged COSON letter headed with intent that it may in anyway be used or acted upon as genuine whether in Nigeria or elsewhere to the prejudice of COSON.

“The offence is contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 376 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The offence contravened Section 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

Meanwhile, Omorogbe and Ajayi pleaded not guilty. Their counsel, S. Ehiwelele and Chibuzor Nwankobi prayed the court to admit them to bail on liberal terms.

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