Alleged forged Will case by lawyer; AG to take over prosecution

The Attorney General has assumed responsibility for prosecuting a case involving a lawyer and four others accused of fabricating a will.

Principal State Attorney, Mr. Dominic Bakoma, stated that following a review of a petition related to the case, the Attorney General opted to proceed with the prosecution. He requested the court to provide records of prior proceedings to ensure the case progressed smoothly.

Meanwhile, the defense team informed the Achimota Circuit Court that a revised charge sheet and fresh disclosures had been submitted. They argued that this necessitated the court re-administering the pleas of the accused individuals before initiating the case management conference.

The accused persons, including lawyer Joseph Kwow Addo Sam, Chief Alhaji Seidu Adam Baba, the Chief of Banda in Accra, Saeed Salia, and Abubakar Salia, were present in court. However, Abdulai Salia, also known as Abdulai Salia Junior, and Abubakar Salia remain at large.

Charges leveled against the accused include conspiracy, document forgery, presenting falsified documents, and perjury. Those present in court denied the allegations and were granted bail.

The presiding judge instructed the court registry to provide the prosecution with all case records. The case was subsequently adjourned to March 11, 2025.

Background of the Case

According to the prosecution, the complainant, Idris Salia, a businessman, is the sibling of accused persons Saeed Salia, Abdulai Salia, and Abubakar Salia. Their father, Alhaji Salia Abdulai, passed away on June 23, 2021. Following his death, family members were informed that he had left a Will, which was reportedly lodged at the Probate Division of the High Court.

The complainant, however, found this claim suspicious, as their father had always adhered to Islamic principles, which prohibit making a Will for direct heirs, including children and spouses. Doubting the authenticity of the document, Idris Salia lodged a petition with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), requesting an inquiry into the circumstances under which the Will surfaced.

During the investigation, the purported Will was obtained from the High Court’s Probate Division. The document bore the signatures of Chief Alhaji Seidu Adam Baba (the second accused) and Tony Kenyin Foli, now deceased, as witnesses. Additionally, the prosecution noted that the Will was drafted by lawyer Addo Sam, a fact he acknowledged in his statement to investigators.

To verify the signatures, authorities retrieved official documents bearing Alhaji Salia Abdulai’s signature from Ecobank, GCB Bank, and the Registrar General’s Department. A comparison was also conducted using a signed statement provided by Tony Kenyin Foli to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command before his passing. However, Chief Alhaji Seidu Adam Baba refused to submit a statement or provide a sample signature for forensic examination.

The case was further analyzed by forensic experts from the Comptroller General’s office at the Ghana Immigration Service and Spotlight Security Solution. Their reports concluded that the signatures on the Will did not belong to the late Alhaji Abdulai or Tony Kenyin Foli.

In November 2021, three of the accused allegedly applied to the High Court in Accra for probate using the disputed Will. Upon receiving a complaint, the police arrested lawyer Addo Sam. In his caution statement, he admitted to drafting the Will and depositing it at the High Court’s Probate Registry on May 7, 2004. The prosecution further alleged that Abubakar Salia and Saeed Salia fraudulently signed the probate application.

The case is set to continue on March 11, 2025.