The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a college provost and lecturer on charges of certificate forgery. Learn more about the allegations and legal proceedings against the academic officials.
The current provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Gusau, Hauwau Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim, and Abdullahi Boyi, a lecturer at Sokoto State College of Education, have been charged with certificate forgery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The arraignment occurred before Justice Muhammad Aliyu Sambo at the Sokoto State High Court, with charge number SS/213c/2024.
ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare announced that the pair is facing six charges, accusing them of forging an appointment letter to obtain Abdulkarim’s role as Provost at the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Gusau, Zamfara State.
Furthermore, they face allegations of providing false statements to ICPC officers during the investigation, which violates Section 25(1)(a) and is punishable under Section 25(ii)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
One of the charges states: “Hauwa’u Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim and Abdullah Boyi, in or around 2023 in Sokoto within this court’s jurisdiction, conspired to commit an illegal act by forging a ‘Notification for Appointment’ letter for the position of Chief Lecturer on COMPCASS 14 effective January 1, 2017. This constitutes an offence contrary to section 59(1) and is punishable under section 60(2) of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law, enacted in 2019.”
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However, when the Court’s Registrar read out all six charges, both defendants pleaded “not guilty.”
Dr. Muhammad Mansur Aliyu and Mr. M.S Diri SAN, serving as counsel for the defendants, each submitted applications requesting bail on behalf of their clients.
They asked the court to consider reasonable bail terms, highlighting the defendants’ “established positions and cooperation during the investigation.”
Mr. Suleiman Ahmad, counsel for the ICPC, did not contest the bail applications.
After reviewing the applications, Hon. Justice Sambo approved bail with certain conditions to ensure that the defendants remain present throughout the trial proceedings.
Under the bail conditions, each defendant must present two sureties who are permanent residents of Sokoto State. Each surety is required to sign a bond worth one million naira (N1,000,000).
