A former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, is about to be arraigned earlier than a federal excessive court docket on Monday, 13 July.
Mr Nnaji is predicted to be arraigned earlier than Justice Abdulmalik Joyce of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Nnaji would be arraigned earlier than the court docket by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the anti-graft company prosecuting the previous minister.
Sources concerned in his investigation stated Mr Nnaji’s deliberate arraignment adopted the conclusion of the investigation into his certificate forgery scandal and submitting of felony fees towards the previous minister.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier completely reported that the ICPC filed six felony fees towards Mr Nnaji over his certificate forgery scandal.
The submitting of the fees got here 5 days after Mr Nnaji was arrested on 1 July on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from Enugu by way of a chartered flight.
Mr Nnaji’s arrest adopted a two-year investigation published by PREMIUM TIMES in October final yr, which revealed that the then-minister solid his UNN diploma and NYSC certificates, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate throughout his ministerial affirmation in 2023.
Inside the six-count cost
PREMIUM TIMES completely obtained a felony cost sheet detailing the six-count cost towards Mr Nnaji.
Count one states that Mr Nnaji “took possession” of N29.5 million (N29,578,466.67) by way of his Fidelity Bank account as primary wage and allowances whereas serving as Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, “when you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud.”
The ICPC argued that, by this act, Mr Nnaji dedicated an offence opposite to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable below Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count two accuses him of utilizing his ministerial workplace to “confer corrupt advantage” on himself throughout the identical interval. “You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000,” the cost sheet reads.
Under rely three, the ICPC alleges that Mr Nnaji, “with intent to mislead the Federal Government of Nigeria, knowingly gave false information” by presenting a “false Certificate of National Service” (Certificate Number: A231309) to the federal government for his ministerial appointment.
The fee stated he dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable below Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Count 4 alleges that, in August 2023, Mr Nnaji knowingly gave “false information” by presenting a Microbiology/Biochemistry diploma certificate (Certificate Number: 004501) to the federal government, understanding it to be false, thereby violating the identical part of the Corrupt Practices Act.
In rely 5, the ICPC alleges that, round May 1986, Mr Nnaji knowingly produced a false doc – the Certificate of National Service (No. A231309) – and used it as real, committing an offence opposite to Section 363 and punishable below Section 354 of the Penal Code.
Count six alleges that Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu (63), of Plot 1855, Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, knowingly produced a false doc – a “University Degree Certificate of Microbiology/Biochemistry with Certificate Number: 004501”—purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, round July 1985.
He is accused of utilizing the doc as real, thereby committing an offence opposite to Section 363 and punishable below Section 364 of the Penal Code.
Background
In October 2023, PREMIUM TIMES started investigating Mr Nnaji’s educational data. The then-minister had submitted his diploma and NYSC certificates to President Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate throughout his ministerial affirmation. He claimed he obtained a level from UNN in 1985.
Disturbed by the scrutiny, Mr Nnaji filed a swimsuit on the Federal High Court in Abuja to block the UNN and its Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, from releasing his educational data. Other defendants within the swimsuit included the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission, the college’s registrar, its former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofo Ujam, and the University Senate. However, the politician lately utilized for an out-of-court settlement by way of his authorized staff.
Before Mr Nnaji might receive a court docket injunction, Mr Ortuanya had already responded to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information (FOI) letter, confirming that Mr Nnaji solid his UNN diploma certificate.
The college registrar later corroborated this, indicating that though Mr Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he neither graduated nor was issued a certificate.
NYSC authorities additionally disowned the discharge certificate within the possession of the then-minister in response to a separate FOI letter. Mr Nnaji resigned from his place as minister three days after this newspaper printed the investigation.
Earlier this yr, authorized practitioner Liborous Oshoma criticised the Nigerian authorities for failing to prosecute Mr Nnaji, sustaining that he ought to be barred from holding public workplace as a deterrent.
Meanwhile, in March, this newspaper exclusively reported that an investigative panel arrange by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, confirmed that Mr Nnaji solid his certificates.
Mr Nnaji has since moved from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In late May, he emerged because the governorship candidate of the Wike-backed PDP faction for the 2027 normal elections. He would have immunity from prosecution if he wins and is sworn in as governor.
In mid-June, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the ICPC to arrest Mr Nnaji. Despite denying the order’s existence, he filed an appeal against it on 18 June on the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
The ICPC additionally secured a court warrant to detain the previous minister for an preliminary 14 days.