The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) on Friday arraigned a former acting Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, FIIRO, Chima Igwe before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja over alleged certificate fraud.
Prosecutor from the ICPC docked Igwe before Justice Sherifat Solebo on a three-count charge of fraudulently presenting a fake doctoral certificate to the management of the institution.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant committed the offence sometime in 2002, while being a public officer.
He was accused of giving false information with the intent to deceive, using office to confer an unfair advantage upon himself and making false statements to public officers.
The prosecution alleged that defendant being an officer with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), did confer an unfair advantage upon himself by presenting an Attestation Letter to the Institute signifying the completion of a PhD programme in Applied Chemistry at the University of Abomey- Calavi (UAC) Republic of Benin consequent upon which he got many promotions and rose through the rank to the directorate cadre.
The offences, the ICPC maintained, are contrary to and punishable to section 17(1)(c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Also, his offence of making a false statement to a public officer is contrary to section 25(1)(a) and punishable under 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2020.
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The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and he was granted bail by the judge in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Solebo also directed that the sureties must be residents in Lagos and must be in current employment.
The Judge has adjourned the case to February 21 2022 for commencement of trial.
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