Fijabi Olanrewaju
THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former employee of the National Examination Council (NECO), who was dismissed over allegations of certificate forgery.
The trial of Mrs. Rose Deffi was first scheduled for 30 May 2024, before Justice G.D. Fwomyon at the Plateau State High Court but was stalled due to the defendant’s absence.
The court ruled that Mrs Deffi should be served the charge sheet through substituted means and be produced in court by her lawyer at the next hearing.
On Friday, when the case was called, Mrs Deffi, who was present in the court, pleaded not guilty to all seven counts of forgery against her.
In light of her plea, the ICPC counsel, Mr. O.G. Iwuagwu, requested another date for the trial to commence while the defence counsel, Mr. P.M. Lere did not oppose this but asked the court to consider the bail application for his client.
ICPC counsel, Mr. Iwuagwu, did not oppose the bail application but requested the court to set conditions, ensuring the defendant’s availability for trial.
The presiding judge, Justice Fwomyon, after listening to the arguments of both counsel, granted Mrs Deffi bail in the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) with two sureties in the same amount, and he adjourned the case till 26 September 2024, for trial to commence.
In 2020, NECO conducted a nationwide certificate verification exercise resulting in 89 staff members being indicted for using fake certificates.
The Council’s Governing Board subsequently approved their dismissals and referred their cases to the ICPC and the Nigerian Police for prosecution.
Eighteen-Eleven Media