The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a civil servant, Lebi James, for presenting fake certificate so he could be promoted.
The suspect, Mr. James is said to be a staff in the office of Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF).
He is being arraigned before 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 showed he knowingly made a false statement to the director of administration and human resources at the AGF’s office in a letter he requested for promotion.
Mr. James is said to have requested for a conversion and upgrade from the position of an executive officer to that of a senior auditor.
It was, however, in the process that he presented a certificate of membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
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The action contravenes Section 25 (1) (a) of the ICPC Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 25(1b) of the same law.
In the second count, the suspect is alleged to have knowingly presented a forged certificate of membership of ICAN with intent to fraudulently use it as a genuine document for his conversion and upgrading.
The action of the suspect is contrary to and punishable under Section 368 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria 2006.
Under the third count, the accused is alleged to have informed the director that he is a member of ICAN in order for him to be converted and upgraded when he knew that the information was false, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of FCT Nigeria 2006.
When the charges were read to him, the accused pleaded not guilty and his counsel, Mr. C. Ojutule moved a motion for bail pending the determination of the case.
While the ICPC lead counsel, Agbili Kingsley, did not oppose the bail application, he, however, urged the court to impose stringent conditions on the accused.
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 to 26th March for the continuation of hearing.
