Senator arraigned over alleged NYSC certificate forgery

A Bayelsa senator, representing Bayelsa Central, Benson Konbowei, was arraigned on Thursday facing three charges of forgery related to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate.

The senator pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The counsel for the prosecution, Rubben Egwaba, had opposed the bail application for the defendant.

He noted that the defendant would interfere with his trial if granted bail.

He said, “While the charge was filed, the defendant took several steps to interfere with the matter. He also wrote a lot of petitions against me to truncate the matter. We urge My Lord to refuse the application.”

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The counsel for the defendant, Gordy Uche (SAN), urged the court to grant his client bail, assuring the court he would not jump bail if granted one.

Justice Christopher Oba, presiding over the case, granted the senator bail set at N50 million. Additionally, the judge mandated the senator to provide two sureties with landed properties within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The authenticity of the sureties’ Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) will be verified by the court.

This case highlights the ongoing scrutiny surrounding eligibility requirements for public office in Nigeria. The NYSC program is a mandatory one-year service for Nigerian graduates. Obtaining an exemption certificate is a legal process with specific criteria.