The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Mrs Rose Deffi, a ex-employee of the National Examination Council (NECO), who was sacked over claims of certificate forgery.
The trial had originally been scheduled for May 30, before Justice G.D. Fwomyon at the Plateau State High Court but the defendant’s absence had delayed it.
The FHC ruled that Deffi should be served the charge sheet through an alternative means and be produced in court by her lawyer at the next hearing.
However, Deffi had made her self available on Friday, when the case was called to court, and pleaded not guilty to all seven counts of forgery charges against her.
The ICPC counsel Mr O.G. Iwuagwu, in light of her plea, then requested another date for the trial’s start.
The defense counsel, Mr P.M. Lere, had not contradicted the application, but had however, asked the court to grant his client bail.
The ICPC Counsel in turn, did not oppose the bail application but had requested the court to set conditions that would guarantee the defendant’s availability for trial.
Meanwhile, Justice Fwomyon, after hearing the arguments of both counsels, granted Mrs Deffi bail at N2 million with two sureties in like sum.
Thereafter, he suspended the case till September 26, 2024, for commencement of trial.
The case between the ICPC and Rose Deffi had begun in 2020, when NECO conducted a nationwide certificate verification exercise that resulted in 89 staff members being charged for using fake certificates.
The examination Council’s Governing Board afterwards approved their dismissals and remitted their cases to the ICPC and the Nigerian Police for prosecution.
