Chima Igwe, former FIIRO DG, pleads ‘not guilty’ to charges of certificate forgery

Chima Igwe, former acting director-general of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos (FIIRO) has pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of certificate forgery.

On Friday, Igwe was arraigned before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The former FIIRO acting DG was arraigned on a three-count charge.

According to the charge sheet marked ID/15716C/2021, Igwe was accused of presenting a “false” attestation letter signifying the completion of a PhD programme as a public officer.

The former DG was also accused of using the “false attestation” letter to acquire “many promotions”, which made him rise to director grade in the civil service.

“Count 1: Knowingly giving a document with false information with intent to deceive the principle contrary to and punishable under Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000,” the charge sheet reads.

“Chima Cartney Igwe (m) sometimes in December 2002 or thereabout in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a Public Officer with Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) knowingly gave, with intent to deceive an attestation letter signifying the completion of PhD Degree programme from University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Republic of Benin, to the Federal institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO).

“Count 2: Using office to confer unfair advantage upon self contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

“Chima Cartney Igwe (m) sometimes in December 2002 or thereabout in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, while being a Public Officer with Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) did confer unfair advantage upon himself by presenting an Attestation Letter to the Institute signifying the completion of PhD programme in Applied Chemistry at University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Republic of Benin consequent upon which he got many promotions and rose through the rank to the directorate cadre.

“Count 3: Knowingly Making a statement which is false to a public officer contrary to Section 25(1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

BAIL APPLICATION

During the court proceedings, E.O Ekong, the counsel to the suspect, asked the court to grant bail to his client.

The bail application was not rejected by Henry Emore, ICPC counsel.

In her ruling, Sherifat Solebo, the judge, granted the bail application with a bond of N500,000 and two sureties, who have verifiable residential addresses in Lagos.

The judge said Igwe should be remanded at a correctional centre until he fulfils his bail conditions.

Solebo adjourned the case till February 21, 2022.

BACKGROUND

In February 2020, Igwe was sacked over a certificate scandal. The former acting DG claimed he obtained a PhD from the Universite d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin Republic, but he reportedly did not have a certificate for it.

TheCable had reported how Igwe failed to present his PhD certificate 17 years after submitting a letter of attestation from the university. The former acting DG used the attestation letter to gain promotion up to directorate level of the institute.

He was later replaced with Agnes Asagbra as acting director-general.