ICPC resumes 10-year forgery case against alleged fake polytechnic coordinator

The forgery case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Mr. Saturday Igwe, the Coordinator of an unofficial Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic satellite campus in Osurua, Nyanya, Abuja, has resumed in earnest after several delays.

Mr. Igwe was re-arraigned on an eight-count charge of forgery before Justice Fatima Aliyu at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The case had previously stalled due to the promotion of the presiding judge, who had initially heard the matter, to a higher court.

The ICPC is prosecuting Mr. Igwe for allegedly forging and issuing multiple admission letters and statements of results, falsely claiming that these documents were issued by Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.

He was further alleged to have made false statements to officers of ICPC as well as conspiring to defraud prospective students of money under the pretence 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.

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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.

Count 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 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 will further its case by presenting witnesses.

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

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

Barr Adesola did not oppose the bail application as Justice Fatima Aliyu, therein, 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 same matter.

The matter was then adjourned to the 6th of February, 2025 for a hearing as contained in a statement by Demola Bakare, Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the Commission made available to Journalists in Bauchi on Thursday.

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