Alleged certificate forgery: Absence of lawmaker stalls arraignment

The absence of Mohammed Gololo, representing Gamawa Federal Constituency, on Thursday stalled his arraignment in an FCT High Court in Kubwa for alleged certificate forgery.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC) charged the defendant with eight counts bordering on forgery.

The prosecution counsel, Ekoi Akponimisingha told the court that he tried many time to serve the suspect but failed because the lawmaker travelled out of the country.

“I apologise to the court because this case has lingered since Feb. 16 and adjourned twice afterwards for arraignment,” Akponimisingha said.

He however prayed to the court for a last adjournment and applied that if the defendant is arrested before the adjourned date, he would be brought for arraignment.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya adjourned the matter until Dec. 7 for arraignment.

Our correspondent reports that the ICPC alleged that Gololo made a false statement to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2018.

The prosecution counsel alleged that the defendant claimed he attended and obtained a Bsc in Business Administration in July 18, 2018 and MBA in Business Management in Sept. 18, 2005 from Lagos state University.

He said the defendant submitted purported certificates to INEC headquarters on Oct. 18, 2018 and issued as genuine the false documents to contest for elections into the House of Representatives under Gamawa Federal Constituency of Bauchi state.

The offence, he said, contravenes the provisions of Section 25(1)(a), 17(c) and punishable under 25(1)(b) Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.