The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arraigned one Tiemo Joy Alabogha on a six-count charge of forgery, intent to commit fraud and making of a false statement, amongst other misconducts.
The defendant, who is a member of staff of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, was arraigned on the 30th of October 2024 before Justice Ogbonaya of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Zuba.
Alabogha was accused of producing and presenting a forged Bachelor of Education certificate from the University of Calabar, UNICAL, to NSITF, knowing fully well that it was not genuine. She was therefore deemed to have committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code, Laws of the FCT.
The accused was further arraigned for presenting a letter of certificate of confirmation, supposedly emanating from UNICAL, which confirmed that the falsified certificate of education was genuine.
This, according to the charge sheet read, contravened Section 25(1)(a) and was punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The defence counsel, meanwhile, urged the court to grant bail to the defendant, and the prosecuting counsel, Aniekan Ekong, did not oppose it.
Ekong, however, urged that “should the court be minded to grant bail to the defendant, it should be on such terms and conditions that will guarantee the availability of the defendant for trial.”
The trial judge ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Suleja Custodial Facility pending a ruling on her bail application.
The matter was adjourned until the 19th of February 2025 for the hearing of the substantive case.