Alleged Certificate Forgery: Court Discharges Bayelsa Senator

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has discharged the Senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Benson Konbowei, charged with certificate forgery.

Konbowei, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arraigned before the court on March 26, 2024 on three counts, in which he was among others, accused of forging an exemption certificate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Justice Christopher Oba discharged Konbowei and struck out the charge shortly after the prosecuting lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, applied to discontinue the prosecution.

Egwuaba told the court that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who earlier issued him a fiat to prosecute the case, has withdrawn the fiat and directed him to withdraw the charge.

Egwuaba consequently applied to withdraw the charge, an application defence lawyer, Chris Uche, did not oppose.

Justice Oba, who elected to strike out the charge, however, rejected Uche’s application that the charge be dismissed.