Get Guardian on GoogleJustice Mikhail Abdullahi of the Minna High Court has convicted and sentenced a dismissed staff member of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Abdulwahab Sule, to 25 years’ imprisonment for securing employment with a forged diploma certificate.
Sule was arrested and prosecuted by the Niger State office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on charges of forgery.
The court heard that he obtained employment using a forged diploma purportedly issued by the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State. He was arraigned on February 28, 2023, on a three-count charge of dishonestly using a forged document as genuine and making false statements.
According to the charge filed by ICPC counsel, Eghiwere Shadrach-Osiaje, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Lateef Fagbemi SAN, the offences contravened Sections 366 and 364 of the Penal Code, as well as relevant provisions of the laws of Niger State.
Sule was found guilty on all three counts.
He had earlier been dismissed by NECO in 2020 after a verification committee established that he used a forged diploma certificate from the Federal University of Technology, Yola, to secure employment in 2009.
The offences also contravene Section 25(1)(a) and are punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In his judgment, Justice Abdullahi convicted Sule on all counts and sentenced him to 10, five and two years’ imprisonment respectively, without the option of a fine. The sentences are to run concurrently.
