The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned one Owoyele Kolawole before Justice S.A. Adepoju of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja for alleged forgery and possession of blank Senior School Certificates.
Acting on a petition from the Federal Ministry of Education pertaining to the growing incidence of presentation of altered West African Senior School Certificate results for accreditation and endorsement by those seeking admission into foreign educational institutions.
Discreet surveillance and intelligence gathering by ICPC led to the arrest of Mr. Kolawole. The suspect allegedly ran a syndicate that specialised in producing and selling customised certificates to fraudulent applicants seeking admission into foreign institutions.
The suspect, who at the time of arrest was in possession of blank certificates, was allegedly operating a criminal scheme where the particulars from a genuine certificate would be transferred to a blank copy with alteration in either the grades or age or both, depending on what the ‘client’ desired.
Mr. Kolawole was arraigned on a two-count charge for possessing false documents with intention to defraud in contravention of Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory.
Part of the charge read: “That you Owoyele Kolawole….made false documents to wit: “West African Senior School Certificates” empty/blank, with no student information on it with the intention that it may be filled with student information later which may be acted upon as genuine…”
While taking his plea, the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.
However, since the defence counsel was absent at the time the charge was read to the accused, Justice Adepoju ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to 24th November, 2016 for definite hearing.