27th July, 2010
Two fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, who were arrested at Asaya Orientation Camp in Kogi on Monday appeared before a Lokoja Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects, Nzeoka Aloysius, 28 and David Labija, 26, were arrested on July 19, while parading themselves as NYSC members. The accused persons charged with criminal conspiracy, impersonation and forgery were caught with NYSC caps, shirts, vests and canvas foot wears.
The prosecution told the court that during investigation, forged statements of results for B. Sc. Political Science and B. Sc. Government and Public Administration were recovered from the suspects. Mr. Ibrahim Ademola, the investigating police officer told the court that investigations into the case was still going on.
He said, “I vehemently oppose bail for the suspects because the offence of forgery, impersonation and conspiracy are serious offences that had up to 14 years imprisonment on conviction.”
He urged the court to remand them in prison custody, adding that if granted bail, they would jump bail and jeopardise police investigations.
Counsel to the accused, Dayo Obalola, however, made an oral application for bail for his clients pursuant to Section 341(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code and urged the court to exercise its discretion.
He said, “At this stage of trial, the accused persons still enjoy the privilege of being presumed innocent”, adding that the offences his clients were charged for were not capital in nature.