UNN, NYSC disowned ex-minister Nnaji’s certificates, witness tells court

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the National Youth Service Corps have disowned certificates linked to a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, a witness told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.

The witness, SP Yakubu Ibrahim, an investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, disclosed this while testifying in the alleged certificate forgery case against Nnaji before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

Led in evidence by the ICPC counsel, J.A. Mumini, SAN, Ibrahim said the commission commenced an investigation after receiving two separate petitions alleging certificate forgery against the former minister.

He said the chairman of the commission’s Special Task Force directed an investigation, prompting the ICPC to request relevant documents from the National Assembly, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, UNN and the NYSC

According to the witness, the Clerk of the Senate forwarded Nnaji’s NYSC certificate and his Bachelor of Science certificate in Microbiology and Biochemistry to the commission.

Ibrahim said the NYSC, in its response, stated that the certificate purportedly issued by the corps was not issued by it.

He further told the court that UNN also responded that Nnaji did not obtain the required grades for the award of the degree certificate.

The witness said the university explained its grading policy, which stipulated that a student who failed an examination four times would not qualify for the award of a certificate.

He said Nnaji failed at two stages and did not sit the examination at the third stage for medical reasons.

The witness further said that, according to the letter, the defendant went ahead to write the supplementary examination for which he did not register.

He added that the university confirmed that the BSc certificate in Microbiology and Biochemistry attributed to Nnaji was not issued by the institution.

The witness also told the court that the commission obtained documents from the SGF’s office, including a payslip, which prompted it to request the former minister’s bank statement.

According to him, the bank statement showed that Nnaji received N29.5m in salaries as minister before he resigned.

Ibrahim identified letters sent to the Clerk of the Senate, the SGF, UNN, the NYSC, the bank and Nnaji, which the prosecution tendered as evidence.

He further testified that Nnaji failed to honour the commission’s invitation to respond to the allegations in the petitions, prompting the ICPC to contact the Department of State Services.

The witness said the DSS subsequently arrested the former minister on July 1.

Counsel for Nnaji, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, said he would reserve his objection to the admissibility of the documents until the appropriate stage of the proceedings, if necessary.

In a brief ruling, Justice Abdulmalik admitted the documents in evidence but held that objections to their admissibility would be considered at the final address.

During cross-examination by Olanipekun, the witness admitted that he did not visit UNN during the investigation.

He also said he did not know how many campuses the university had or the faculty from which Nnaji graduated.

Asked whether he interviewed any past or serving university staff, Ibrahim said he interviewed a registrar identified as Ngozi but could not recall her surname.

The witness also told the court that he saw a letter from UNN directing the withdrawal of Nnaji’s admission.

Olanipekun, however, drew his attention to another letter indicating that the withdrawal letter dated November 7, 1984, was rescinded by a subsequent letter dated March 18, 1985.

Following the conclusion of the cross-examination, the prosecution sought an adjournment to enable it to call another witness.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case until November 5 for continuation of the trial.

Nnaji was arraigned before the court on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, money laundering and abuse of office.

He pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The ICPC alleged that Nnaji presented forged UNN degree and NYSC certificates to support his ministerial appointment in 2023.
The commission also accused him of receiving about N29.58m in salaries and allowances as minister, allegedly linked to proceeds of unlawful acts.

The former minister was granted bail in the sum of N20m with one surety and ordered to deposit his international passport with the court.