ICPC arraigns civil servant for presenting fake certificate for upgrade

INDEPENDENT Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a civil servant with the office of
Auditor-General of the Federation (AUGF), Mr Lebi Ayodele James,
before Honourable Justice Yusuf Halliru of High Court 32 of Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) on a 3-count charge bordering on false
statement and forgery.

The charge sheet revealed that Ayodele, being a public officer
in the AUGF’s office knowingly made a “false statement” to the
Director of Administration and Human Resources of the same office
when he wrote an application letter requesting to be converted and
upgraded from the position of an Executive Officer to that of a
Senior Auditor and presented a certificate of membership of the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), thereby
committing an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable
under Section 25(1b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Act, 2000.

In the 2nd count, Ayodele was alleged to have knowingly
presented a certificate of membership of ICAN which is a forged
document that he intended to fraudulently use as a genuine document
for his conversion and upgrading and he thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under Section 368 of the Penal
Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria 2006.

In the 3rd count, Ayodele was also alleged to have informed the
Director that he was a member of ICAN in order for him to be
converted and upgraded when he knew that the information was false
and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under
Section 140 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria
2006.

The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to all the
charges preferred against him and his counsel, Mr C. Ojutule moved
a motion for his bail pending the determination of the case.

In a swift reaction to the motion by the defence, ICPC lead
counsel, Agbili E. Kingsley although not in opposition to the bail
application, urged the court to impose stringent conditions on the
defendant to enable him to stand his trial.

Having listened to the submissions of both parties, the trial
judge granted bail to the accused and ordered him to produce two
officers, not below the rank of director, with the ownership of
title property document within FCT and evidence of their promotion
to the rank of a directorship.

The matter has been adjourned until March 26, 2018, for the
continuation of hearing.

INDEPENDENT Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a civil servant with the office of
Auditor-General of the Federation (AUGF), Mr Lebi Ayodele James,
before Honourable Justice Yusuf Halliru of High Court 32 of Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) on a 3-count charge bordering on false
statement and forgery.

The charge sheet revealed that Ayodele, being a public officer
in the AUGF’s office knowingly made a “false statement” to the
Director of Administration and Human Resources of the same office
when he wrote an application letter requesting to be converted and
upgraded from the position of an Executive Officer to that of a
Senior Auditor and presented a certificate of membership of the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), thereby
committing an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable
under Section 25(1b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Act, 2000.

In the 2nd count, Ayodele was alleged to have knowingly
presented a certificate of membership of ICAN which is a forged
document that he intended to fraudulently use as a genuine document
for his conversion and upgrading and he thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under Section 368 of the Penal
Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria 2006.

In the 3rd count, Ayodele was also alleged to have informed the
Director that he was a member of ICAN in order for him to be
converted and upgraded when he knew that the information was false
and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under
Section 140 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria
2006.

The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to all the
charges preferred against him and his counsel, Mr C. Ojutule moved
a motion for his bail pending the determination of the case.

In a swift reaction to the motion by the defence, ICPC lead
counsel, Agbili E. Kingsley although not in opposition to the bail
application, urged the court to impose stringent conditions on the
defendant to enable him to stand his trial.

Having listened to the submissions of both parties, the trial
judge granted bail to the accused and ordered him to produce two
officers, not below the rank of director, with the ownership of
title property document within FCT and evidence of their promotion
to the rank of a directorship.

The matter has been adjourned until March 26, 2018, for the
continuation of hearing.