The Registrar, University of Jos, Monday Danjem, has failed to present records of results earned by a former Deputy Speaker and current member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba-Hassan, who is being accused of forging a Diploma certificate of the institution.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Baba-Hassan, a member representing Jos-North Constituency, is standing trial for allegedly submitting a ‘forged’ academic qualification to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to contest in the 2015 State Assembly elections.
The defendant is being accused of forging a Diploma certificate in Business Administration of the University, dated November 1996, and ‘falsely’ inserted his name as one of the graduands in the “Order of Proceedings of the 19th Combined Convocation Ceremony” in 2002.
However, testifying before the Jos division of the Federal High Court 2, the registrar admitted that the lawmaker had actually attended the institution but could not finish because he failed some courses.
“It is not in contention that Ibrahim Baba Hassan was enrolled for the diploma programme, he did the requisite time for the diploma programme, but at the end of which he was to be given the certificate he failed six courses, but I cannot remember them here,” he testified.
During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Solomon Umuh (SAN), the registrar was asked to name the courses Mr Baba-Hassan failed but could not produce same.
“There is no any script to show that he (Baba Hassan) has failed the courses, but the scripts exist. The departmental result, faculty result and Senate results are not in this file,” he testified.
Mr Umoh, therefore, sought the court’s consent to show the university’s convocation booklet, to refresh the memory of the registrar.
However, plaintiff counsel, David Ibeawuchi, objected the tendering of the booklet.
“My lord I object to this, because the booklet is not in evidence before this court, we are objecting the admissibility of the document,” he averred.
The presiding justice Musa Kurya, however, ruled that the defence counsel has the right to show and tender the booklets.
When asked, the Registrar said: “I have seen the name of Ibrahim Baba Hassan, at page 185 in the convocation booklet for a degree.”
Mr Umuh noted that, besides oral evidence, the Registrar has failed to present any evidential records before the court.
Justice Musa Kurya adjourned the matter for the continuation of hearing and for the plaintiff to close their case on 7 December 2018.
