ICPC arraigns former judge over age falsification

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former judge of the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal, Francis Chukwuma Abosi, for allegedly altering an official document to falsify his age and confer an unfair advantage upon himself.

Abosi was arraigned before Justice U.P Kekemeke of the Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama on a three-count charge bordering on forgery and conferring unfair advantage on himself by ICPC.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, investigations revealed that during his appointments in 2010 and 2014, Abosi filed November 17, 1958, as his date of birth in the National Judicial Council Data before the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Ogugua noted that when the NJC wrote to the Nigeria Law School to verify the former judge’s records, it was discovered from both the Law School and his alma mater, the University of Nigeria Nsukka, that he was born on November 17, 1950.

She stated that the NJC suspended the defendant from office and recommended him to proceed on compulsory retirement, which he complied with before the Council reported the matter to ICPC.

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Part of the charge against the defendant read: “That you Francis Chukwuma Abosi (M) sometime in April 2010 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being a public officer to wit: Judge of the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal made a false statement to the Chairman of the National Judicial Council in the exercise of the duties of his office by stating in the National Judicial Council Data on judicial officers form that your date of birth is the 17th of November, 1958 when you know that your actual date of birth is the 17th of November, 1950 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000”.

The accused pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to him.

The application for bail moved by the defence counsel, J. O. Asoluka, SAN, was not opposed by the prosecution.

Justice Kekemeke, however, granted the defendant bail on self-recognisance and adjourned the case till February 16, 2023, for definite hearing.

The Star