March 14, 2018

The Independent Corrupt Practices  and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday arraigned one Blessing Njoku in an FCT High Court in Maitama for allegedly forging a National Certificate of Education (NCE).

Njoku, a civil servant with the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate  (PTAD) in Abuja, was arraigned  on a two-count charge bordering on deceit and forgery.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Suleiman Abdulkareem,  told the court that the defendant  sometimes in 2015 in Abuja  deceived the Executive Secretary of the directorate that she was a holder of a NCE.

Abdulkareem told the court that the defendant claimed to have been a student of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri,  between 2006 and 2009.

The defendant, he added,  claimed  to have graduated with a credit grade in Business Education, adding that  she  forged the school’s statement of result to support her claims.

The prosecutor said  that the offences were contrary to Sections 25 (1)(a) of the Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and 363 of the Penal Code.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr Samuel Oche, the Defence  Counsel,  filed an oral application for bail, arguing that the offences were bailable.

The prosecutor did not oppose the application, as according to him, granting of bail was the  exclusive prerogative of the judge.

Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo admitted  the defendant to bail in the sum of N500, 000  and one  surety in  like sum.

The judge also ordered that the surety must  be a senior civil servant resident in the Federal Capital Territory.

Aladetoyinbo  fixed May 2 for the commencement of   trial.