The Inspector General of Police has initiated legal proceedings against Senator Benson Konbowei, representing Bayelsa Central, for alleged forgery of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate.
In a suit marked: CR/028/2023, the IG leveled three charges related to forgery against the senator, citing violations of sections 366, 156, and 158 of the Penal Code Act CAP 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.
The sole defendant in the case, Senator Konbowei, stands accused of fraudulently forging a document titled ‘Certificate of Exemption’ bearing number 000256454 and dated July 4, 2008.
Additionally, he is charged with using the forged document to contest elections into the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in 2015 and the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District National Assembly election held on February 25, 2023. The senator is also accused of submitting four copies of the same forged NYSC certificate to gain admission into the School of Postgraduate Studies of the Imo State University, Owerri.
The IG has listed 15 witnesses, including officials from Imo State University and the NYSC, to testify in the case.
A hearing notice indicates that the matter will be heard at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation, appointed Egwuaba Reuben as the prosecutor, instructing him to provide updates on the progress of the prosecution.
As of the time of this report, attempts to reach Senator Konbowei for comment were unsuccessful, and he had not responded to a message sent to him.
