Certificate fraud: Federal lawmaker arraigned, granted bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) has arraigned member of the Federal House of Representatives, Nse Bassey Ekpenyong over alleged falsification of academic certificates. Ekpenyong was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Uyo on a nine-count charge of forging the National Diploma in Business Administration by the Abia State Polytechnic Certificate No 001181 […]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) has arraigned member of the Federal House of Representatives, Nse Bassey Ekpenyong over alleged falsification of academic certificates.

Ekpenyong was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Uyo on a nine-count charge of forging the National Diploma in Business Administration by the Abia State Polytechnic Certificate No 001181 and Abia State Polytechnic National Diploma Statement of Result dated 22nd November 2012.

Ekpenyong (PDP, Oron), in one of the counts, was alleged to have "on or about November 22, 2012, at Uyo, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make a document to wit: Abia State Polytechnic National Diploma Certificate in Business Administration with No. 001181 dated November 22, 2012 with intent that, it may be acted upon as genuine which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) (C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M 17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 1 (2) of the same Act."

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu granted the lawmaker bail in the sum of N10 million.

Sources said the defendant was yet to fulfil the bail conditions as at the time of filing this report.