The senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Konbowei Benson, was arraigned before the FCT High Court in Abuja on Tuesday for allegedly forging exemption certificate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Mr Benson, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arraigned on a three-count charge for acting contrary to provisions of Penal Code Act, forgery of the NYSC exemption certificate and submitting the forged certificate to secure admission into the School of Postgraduate Studies of the Imo State University, Owerri.
In February, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, instituted a forgery suit against the lawmaker.
In the suit marked: CR/028/2023, the IGP specifically accused the senator of forging a document titled ‘Certificate of Exemption’ with number 000256454 and dated 4 July 2008.
Mr Benson was subsequently charged to court and was to be arraigned on 12 February at the FCT High Court in Abuja, but his absence, due to ill health, stalled the arraignment.
The senator’s counsel, Gordy Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court on that day that his client was “medically indisposed” and submitted a medical report to substantiate his claim.
“My lord, the defendant is medically indisposed and cannot be in court. He is on a drip. I pray the court for an adjournment. I promise to provide him at the next proceedings,” the counsel pleaded.
