…points out four defects in accused person’s copy
National Youth Service Corps, on Tuesday, denied issuing the certificate linked to a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji.
NYSC told a Federal High Court in Abuja that Nnaji’s discharge certificate was not issued by the Corps.
Nnaji is currently standing trial on six charges, among them alleged forgery of an NYSC discharge certificate and a University of Nigeria, Nsukka, degree certificate.
NYSC’s Assistant Director in the Department of Certification, Yusuf Abubakar Jumare, while testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2) before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, said an investigation by his department established that Nnaji’s document was fake.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is currently prosecuting Nnaji on charges of certificate forgery and money laundering in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2026.
The former minister is the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the 2027 governorship election in Enugu State.
Nnaji was represented in court by a team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanikpekun, SAN. Other members of the legal team are Chief Ugwu Onoja, Bode Olanikpekun and George Ibrahim, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Jumare, who was led in evidence by Jimoh Abdulmumuni, SAN, told the court that the department launched its investigation following a request from the ICPC.
He identified four features which, he said, showed that the certificate was not issued by the NYSC.
According to him, the certificate number, purportedly issued in 1985, carries the prefix “A”, which the NYSC did not begin using until 1990.
Also, the call-up number on the certificate has four digits (0137), whereas call-up numbers in 1985 had five.
He added that Nnaji’s certificate indicates a service period of 13 months instead of 12 calendar months.
It was also not signed by the CEO of the NYSC at the time he claimed to have completed his service. Whereas the designation of NYSC CEO from inception till past the time of his purported completion of service was known as “Director,” Nnaji’s certificate was signed by a “National General.”
The prosecution also tendered copies of correspondence between the ICPC and the NYSC on the alleged fake certificate. They were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits.
The defence said it would address its objections to the admissibility of the exhibits at a later date, informing the court that it had not been served with the documents.
Prosecution counsel explained that he had only just taken over the case and undertook to make the documents available to the defence.
Under cross-examination by Bode Olanikpekun, SAN, Jumare maintained that the certificate was not issued by the NYSC.
He told the court that his department is the custodian of all NYSC certificates. He said certificates are issued to corps members only on completion of their service year, and serve as proof of that completion.
He added that call-up letters are sent by the NYSC to universities, where graduates collect them. Only universities forward the names of graduates to the NYSC for mobilisation.
But he admitted that he did not check whether the defendant had ever been issued a certificate by the NYSC.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case until November 30 for continuation of cross-examination of PW2 and until January 29 for continuation of trial.
