Admin l Friday, November 12, 2021
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A former Director General of Federal Institute of Industrial Research(FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos, Chima Cartney Igwe, has been arraigned before a Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja for alleged PhD certificate fraud.
He was charged before Justice Serifat Solebo for fraudulently presenting a fake doctoral certificate to the management of the institution. According to the charge sheet with number ID/15716c/2021, Chima sometimes in 2002, while being a public officer knowingly gave a document with false information to his employer.
Justice Solebo ordered his remand following his arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) on a three counts charge. Igwe pleaded not guilty to offence bordering on giving false information with intent to deceive, using office to confer unfair advantage upon self and making false statement to public officer.
His offences contravenes section 17(1)(c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. Also, his offence of making statement to a public officer contravenes section 25(1)(a) and punishable under 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2020.
Earlier in the proceeding, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Henry Emore informed the court that the prosecution filed a charge dated May 4 but was actually filed on July 15, 2021 against the defendant (Igwe), praying the court to take the plea of the defendant.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant being an officer with Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), did confer unfair advantage upon himself by presenting an Attestation Letter to the Institute signifying completion of PhD programme in Applied Chemistry at University of Abomey- Calavi (UAC) Republic of Benin consequent upon which he got many promotions and rose through the rank to the Directorate cadre.
He therefore pleaded not guilty to all the charged. The prosecution counsel told the court that they are not opposing bail. He urged the court to remand the defendant.
However, his counsel prayed the court to grant him bail in most liberal terms. While moving his bail application, defendant counsel, Mr E.O Ekong told court that his bail application dated September 27,2021 prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail pending his trial.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Solebo granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, adding that addresses of the sureties must be verified by the Registrar. Surety must also show evidence of tax payment to Lagos State. Justice Solebo subsequently adjourned the trial to February 24, 27, 2022.
