Nigerian Professor Re-Arraigned Over Certificate Racketeering, Money Laundering

• The trial, which began in 2013, was restarted after Justice A.R. Mohammed was elevated to the Court of Appeal
  

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has re-arraigned Professor David Iornem and two organisations, Island Open University Inc. and Commonwealth University Inc., on charges of certificate fraud and money laundering.

Professor Iornem is accused of defrauding Nigerians by offering fake admissions and certificates through the two institutions, which are co-defendants in the case.

The trial, which began in 2013, was restarted after Justice A.R. Mohammed was elevated to the Court of Appeal. It has now been reassigned to Justice P.O. Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare, during Wednesday’s hearing, prosecution counsel David Nwaze expressed the commission’s readiness to proceed with the trial, adding that two witnesses were prepared to testify.

Professor Iornem pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges against him, as well as to additional charges against the co-defendant organisations.

One of the charges alleges that between January and December 2012, Professor Iornem conspired with others to defraud individuals by falsely advertising Commonwealth University Belize as an accredited institution, which it was not. Another charge accuses Island Open University Inc. of using £11,000 from illegal degree sales to purchase property in London.

During the hearing, the defence requested bail for the defendants under the conditions previously set. However, Justice Lifu increased the bail bond from ₦100,000 to ₦20 million and required two sureties, including a civil servant of at least Level 14.

The prosecution called its first witness, Chidi Orji, an ICPC investigator. Orji testified that he had posed as a prospective degree buyer and paid $800 to the defendants as part of a sting operation that led to the arrest of one of their staff.

The case continues as the ICPC seeks to clamp down on illegal degree-awarding institutions in Nigeria.