A staff member of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Tiemo Joy Alabogha, has been arraigned on charges related to forgery and fraud following accusations of submitting a falsified Bachelor of Education degree certificate to secure her position.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought Alabogha before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Zuba on October 30, 2024, where she faced a 6-count charge that included forgery, intent to commit fraud, and making false statements. Honorable Justice Ogbonaya presided over the proceedings.
According to the ICPC, Alabogha knowingly presented a forged University of Calabar (UNICAL) degree certificate, and later provided a falsified letter of confirmation purportedly from UNICAL, asserting the certificate’s legitimacy. These actions, the ICPC contends, violate Section 364 of the Penal Code, Laws of the FCT, and Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
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During the hearing, defense counsel requested bail for Alabogha, a motion that prosecuting counsel Aniekan Ekong did not oppose, though he urged the Court to impose conditions ensuring Alabogha’s availability for future proceedings. Justice Ogbonaya ordered that Alabogha be remanded at the Suleja Custodial Facility pending a ruling on her bail.
The matter has been adjourned until February 19, 2025, for the hearing of the substantive case, where further details of the alleged forgery and fraud will be presented.
