MOHAMMED LAWAL GARBA, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellant and one Juliet Odimbu were arraigned and tried before a Magistrate Court, Ikotun in the Lagos Magisterial District on a four counts charge No. G/60A/2011 for offences of conspiracy and forgery of signature on land documents contrary to the provisions of sections 54 and 467 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C17, Vol. II,(4) Laws of Lagos State 2003.
In the cause of the trial, photocopies of some documents(receipts) were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits B, B1 and B2 in spite of the attempt to withdraw them by the prosecution and objection by the defence to their admissibility. Subsequently, on the oral application by the prosecution, the Magistrate ordered the appellant to produce the originals of the documents admitted as exhibits B, B2 and dissatisfied with the order, the appeal appealed to the Lagos State High Court (lower court hereafter) against same.
The four grounds of the appeal contained on the amen…