Fake Certificate: ICPC arraigns NSCDC Official

Fake Certificate: ICPC arraigns NSCDC Official

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arraigned one Ocheme Adamu Andrew, before Honourable Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 33, sitting in Gudu, Abuja on a 3-count charge bordering on alleged forgery.

Mr. Andrew, was accused of procuring and presenting a forged National Diploma (ND) Certificate, from Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, with which he used to secure employment with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Trouble began to brew for the defendant when in 2016 the Commission acted on a letter from the immediate past Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, urging it to scrutinize the credentials of officers of the parastatals under his ministry.

ICPC’s investigation activities revealed that the ND Certificate presented by Mr. Andrew before he was employed by NSCDC was forged.

In a Charge No: CR/278/2019, counsel to ICPC, Agbili Ezenwa Kingsley, told the court that the accused person’s action was contrary to and punishable under Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, and Sections 364, 366 and 368 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT, 2006.

Part of the charge reads; “That you Ocheme Adamu Andrew on or about 2005 at Abuja fraudulently used a certificate of National Diploma from Federal Polytechnic, Idah, as a genuine document in getting employment into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria 2006.”

The accused person pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.

His counsel, Chidi Jude Dimgba, by way of oral application prayed the court to grant his client bail.

Justice Osho-Adebiyi in her ruling, adjourned the case to 13th June, 2019 for determination of the bail application.

Court strikes out N1bn Libel Suit against ICPC Spokesperson

The Honourable Justice Samira Bature of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 37, sitting in Maitama has struck out a lawsuit filed against the Spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Sir Lucky Omoluwa.

Sir Omoluwa had instituted a N1billion libel suit against the Commission’s spokesperson, claiming that the statement credited to her that he (Omoluwa) had repeatedly failed to honour ICPC’s invitations to explain his role in an alleged N2.5billion Digital Switch Over fraud was malicious, false and intended to disparage his person.

In a Suit No: CV/578/18, the Pinnacle boss had sought the relief of the court to order Okoduwa to pay him the above sum of money as damages for what he termed “libelous publication” against him.

Other reliefs sought by the plaintiff included: An order of public apology; retraction and rebuttal of the libelous publication, statements on the Commission’s website, some major Nigerian newspapers, and online platforms for seven days; and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, her cronies, group of people, agency or anyone however called through the ICPC website or any website or news media used or that may be used by the defendant, from further publishing or disseminating the libelous material or similar ones against the claimant forthwith.

However, after filing, the claimant appeared to have abandoned the case by his constant refusal to appear in court for inexplicable reasons.

When the case came up for definite hearing on Tuesday 28th May, 2019, both the claimant and his counsel were again absent in court without any notice to the court or reasons for their absence.

In view of the above, counsel to the respondent, E.A. Shogunle and N.C. Okere, Esq. prayed the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.

The court agreed with the defence counsel that the claimant had lost interest in his claim having been consistently absent in court on several occasions without reason. The judge therefore struck out the case for want of diligent prosecution and also awarded cost of N25,000 against the plaintiff.

Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission