By Tajudeen Suleiman
A senior protocol officer at the University of Ibadan, Adedeji Charles Taiwo, has landed himself in “hot soup” for allegedly forging the signature of Julius Okojie, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, in order to get travel document for his “client.”
Taiwo, a Principal Executive Officer in the institution, on July 13 approached the Consular and Immigration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a note-verbal, special request for visa, in favour of one Jegede Lukmon Adeyemi to travel to Soul National University South Korea, allegedly signed by Okojie.
But a director in the Consular and Immigration Department of the ministry who noticed some irregularities in the request, quickly alerted officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, I CPC, who promptly effected his arrest.
Taiwo had not only forged the letterhead of the NUC but also the signature of its Executive Secretary. However, unknown to the amateur forger, Okojie signed such documents with red ink. So, when the approving director saw the note verbale purportedly from the NUC signed by Okojie in purple ink, he got suspicious and invited the ICPC.
Under interrogation, Taiwo confessed that he forged the note verbale in a business and that he lifted and scanned Okojie’s signature from a previous request made to the ministry.
Indeed the former NUC boss provided the original document that was copied, a note verbal dated July 12, 2016 requesting the ministry to process visas for three lecturers in the zoology department of the University of Ibadan.
On July 18, ICPC charged Taiwo to court after establishing that the accuse had indeed forged Okojie’s signature and the letterhead of the NUC.
He is now facing a four – count charge bordering on making false statement, conferring undue advantage, producing a false document and forgery.
The four – count charge reads:
“That you Adedeji Charles Taiwo(M) sometime in July, 2016 or thereabout at, Abuja while being in the employment of University of Ibadan knowingly made false statement to the Director, Consular and Immigration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja to wit: ‘Request for Note-Verbal’ ref. NUC/ES/439/VOL.10/152 dated 12/07/2016 purporting same to be signed by Executive Secretary of National University Commission, Professor Julius A.Okojie with intention to mislead when you knew the statement is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 25(1)(a0 and punishable under section 25(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000,
“That you Adedeji Charles Taiwo(M) sometime I July, 2016 or thereabout at, Abuja while being in the employment of University of Ibadan used your position as Principal Executive Officer Passage and Protocol to confer unfair advantage on one Mr. Jegede Lukmon Adeyemi by introducing the said Mr Jegede Lukmon Adeyemi to the Director, Consular and Immigration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as staff in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan via a letter captioned “Request For Note-Verbal” ref. NUC/ES/439/VOL.10/152 and dated 12/07/2016 when you knew he is not a staff of the said University and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000,
“That you Adedeji Charles Taiwo(M) sometime in July, 2016 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court made false document to wit: “Request for Note-Verbal” ref. NUC/ES/439/VOL.10/152 dated 12/07/2016 on the Letter head of National Universities Commission purporting same to have emanated from the Office of the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission with the intention that it may be acted upon s genuine and you hereby committed n offence contrary to section 363 and punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja 2006, and
“That you Adedeji Charles Taiwo (M) sometime in July, 2016 or thereabout at buja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court forged the signature of the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Professor, Julius A. Okojie on letter titled “Request for Note-Verbal” ref. NUC/ES/439/VOL.10/152 dated 12/07/2016 with the intention that it may be acted upon s genuine and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363and punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code CP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja 2006.”
Six witnesses are listed to testify against the accused, including Okojie and a director in the foreign affairs ministry.