ICPC resumes 10-yr forgery case against fake A’Ibom poly coordinator

The forgery case instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Mr. Saturday Igwe, the Coordinator of an illegal Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Osurua, Nyanya Abuja Satellite Campus, has resumed after several false starts.

The Guardian reports that the defendant was re-arraigned on an eight-count of forgery before Justice Fatima Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The case against Mr. Igwe had stalled due to the elevation of the presiding judge, who had previously heard the matter, to a higher court.

ICPC is prosecuting the defendant for alleged forgery and the issuance of several admission letters and statements of results under the guise that the said documents originated from Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.

He was further alleged to have made false statements to officers of ICPC and conspired to defraud prospective students of money under the pretense that his campus was an accredited extension of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, knowing full well that the satellite campus had been banned by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The charges brought against Mr. Igwe in counts 1, 2, and 3 contravened Section 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 as well as Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, respectively.

Counts 4 to 7, meanwhile, were deemed contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

One of the counts read: “That you, Saturday Igwe, on or about the year 2008 in Abuja, while being the Coordinator of Akwa Ibom Polytechnic, Osurua Nyanya Abuja Satellite Campus, forged an Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua admission letter issued to Helen Joseph, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.”

Upon Mr. Igwe’s not-guilty plea after the charges were read, counsel to ICPC, Barrister Micheal Adesola, prayed that the court proffer a date for adjournment wherein the Commission would further its case by presenting witnesses.

He further said that the exhibits vital to the case were yet to be forwarded to the court.

READ ALSO:ICPC re-arraigns don, others over certificate racketeering, money laundering

Consequently, counsel to the defendant, Barrister Glory Onen, applied for the court to grant Mr. Igwe bail under the most lenient conditions, citing his availability and cooperation with the judicial process.

Barrister Adesola did not oppose the bail application.

Justice Fatima Aliyu granted bail to the defendant subject to the pre-existing conditions stipulated at his prior arraignment.

She added that the court was willing to expedite proceedings, given the lengthy time that has already elapsed on the matter.

The case was adjourned to February 6, 2025, for a hearing.