Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been granted ₦20 million bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading not guilty to allegations of forging his University of Nigeria, Nsukka degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
Nnaji was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on six counts bordering on alleged certificate forgery, obtaining about ₦29.5 million in salaries and emoluments under false pretences, and money laundering.
Although the prosecution indicated readiness to commence trial with three witnesses present, defence counsel Ogwu Onoja, SAN, sought time to prepare and urged the court to hear a pending bail application, which was not opposed.
The court granted bail with one Level 15 federal civil servant resident in Abuja as surety and ordered Nnaji to surrender his official and personal passports.
The case follows months of investigation after UNN and the NYSC reportedly disowned the certificates in question.
