Court Summons WAEC, NYSC, IGP Over Sen Akume’s Alleged Certificate Forgery

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered that hearing notices be served on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Inspector General of

Police (IGP) to appear on June 17, 2013 over allegations of certificates forgery against the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume by Mr. Philip Agbese.

The trio (2nd-4th defendants respectively), according to court registrar, were served with the originating summons on April 29, 2013 but when the matter came up yesterday, they did not enter appearances.

 Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Ahmed R. Mohammed, ordered that they should be served hearing notices and adjourned the matter to June 17, 2013 for further mention.

However, at the resumed proceedings yesterday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Amobi Nzelu, told the court that there was an impression that he was sick, but that information was not true.

“I wish to inform the court that on that date, March 21, 2013, I appeared before your learned brother A.R. Mohammed of Court 34 at the FCT High Court, Apo. I was however embarrassed when the following day, there were media reports that my junior lawyer told the court that I was sick. My lord, that is not true. I am hale and healthy. I will never use sickness as an excuse”, Nzelu told the court.

In response, Akume’s lawyer, S.T. Hon (SAN) said it was most embarrassing that one counsel will come and said his principal is sick, only for the principal to come and tell the court that his junior lied.

“It is unfortunate because counsel’s statements from the bar are expected to be nothing but the truth. I was present at the court where Nwokorie said with all consciousness that he saw his principal that morning and he handed him the file only for his principal to come here today to tell the court that he saw his junior the previous day before the case the following day. Contradiction open contradiction.

[Leadership]