Alleged Discharge Certificate Forgery: Enugu Gov, Mbah Floors Nysc In Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the forgery allegations regarding a discharge certificate against Enugu State Governor, Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, which were brought by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo dismissed the allegations due to the Corps’ failure to substantiate them as mandated by the law.

In a case brought by the governor against the NYSC, the judge imposed a fine of N5 million on the Corps, to be paid jointly to the plaintiff for concealing facts and conspiring against him in the serious allegations

The court held that with the unchallenged evidence of the plaintiff on how the discharge certificate was issued to him in 2003 by NYSC after serving in a law firm in Lagos and the inability of the Corps to come up with counter-evidence, it was crystal clear that the plaintiff served the mandatory one-year service.

Among others, Justice Ekwo held that while the onus to prove forgery allegations lies heavily on the NYSC, it failed, leaving Mbah’s evidence heavier and more believable.

Mbah had sued the NYSC and its Director, Corps Certification, Ibrahim Muhammad, for publishing a disclaimer, denying the issuance of a discharge certificate issued to him on January 6, 2003.

The NYSC had, on February. 1, written a letter signed by Ibrahim Muhammed saying that the Corps did not issue the NYSC certificate in Mbah’s possession.

Details later.