Lawmaker remanded in prison over certificate forgery

By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja

A member of the House of Representatives,  Nse Ekpenyong, who was charged to court earlier yesterday  for alleged certificate forgery, has been remanded in Uyo Prisons for failing to fulfil the bail conditions.
Ekpenyong, was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP), who represented Oron Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom state.

The lawmaker was arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Uyo, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a nine-count charge for allegedly forging a Ordinary National Diploma (OND) of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia state.
He was granted bail in the sum of N10 million and a surety in like sum.
As part of the conditions, the court asked that the surety must deposit with the court the sum of N5 million, which would be forfeited if Ekpenyong failed to appear in court twice in the course of the case.

The court also asked that the surety must provide a three-year tax clearance certificate from 2014 to 2016.
Ahmedu Arogha, the lawyer who appeared for the EFCC in the case, confirmed that the lawmaker was not able to meet up with the bail conditions and was sent to the Uyo Prisons by the time he (Arogha) left the court premises at about 1.30pm, yesterday.
A senior Prisons officer also confirmed to this paper that the lawmaker had been remanded in the Uyo Prisons.

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