•Uche Nnaji in court today
The immediate past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji was today arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge in which he is accused of making false documents, money laundering, among others.
Nnaji pleaded not guilty when the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2026, filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), was read to him, reports The Nation.
He is accused, among others, of engaging in corruption, fraud, confering corrupt advantage upon himself, giving false information by allegedly making and presenting false certificate of national service, university degree certificate,
Shortly after his plea, prosecuting lawyer, Dr. Osuobeni Akponimisingha told the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed to trial.
But, Nnaji’s lawyer, James Onoja (SAN) said the defence was not ready to proceed to trial because it has a pending bail application.
Dr. Akponimisingha said the prosecution did not intend to file a response to the application, but would rather leave the decision to the court’s discretion, following which Onoja moved the application and urged the court to admit his client to bail.
Ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik said, in the absence of any opposition to the application and having regard to the constitutional presumption of innocence, the defendant should be granted bail.
Justice Abdulmalik, who granted the defendant bail at N20 million with a surety in like sum, ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction at a verifiable address.
The judge added that the surety must also be a federal civil servant, who must not be below Grade Level 15 and, who must provide evidence of salary payment for, at least, three months.
She directed the surety to deposit the original letter of employment, evidence of promotion to the current grade level and a letter of introduction from the head of department.
The surety is also required to execute a bail bond, depose to an affidavit of means and deposit a recent passport photograph with the court.
Judge Abdulmalik ordered Mr Nnaji to deposit both his official and international passports with the court, while directing the court registrar to verify all documents submitted by the surety.
The judge adjourned till September 21 for the commencement of trial.
Counts in the charge read:
*That you, Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu, (m) 63 years old of Plot 1855, Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometimes between the months of August, 2023 and October, 2025 or thereabouts at Abuja, whilst being a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation took possession of the sum of N29,578,466.67 through your Fidelity Bank Plc Account No. 6590039751 as basic salary and allowances as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
*That you, Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu,(m) 63” years old of Plot 1855, Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometimes between the months of August, 2023 and October, 2025 or thereabouts at Abuja, whilst being a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation did use the said office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself, when you received the sum of N29,578,466.67 through your Fidelity Bank account with account number 6590039757 as basic salary and other allowances as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Olhar Related Offences Act. 20),
*That you Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu,(m), 63 years old of Plot 1855 Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometime in August, 2023 of thereabouts at Abuja, with intent to mislead the Federal Government of Nigeria, knowingly gave a false information i.e.false certificate of National Service with certificate Number: A231309 purportedly issued by National Youth Service Corps, Abuja to the Secretary to the Government of Federation, an agent of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the purpose of documentation for your appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which information you knew was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Aci 2000,
*That you Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu,(m), 63 years old of Plot 1855 Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometime in August, 2023 or thereabout at Abuja, with intent to mislead the Federal Government of Nigeria, knowingly gave a false information i.e. University Degree Certificate of Microbiology/Biochemistry with certificate Number: 004501 purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to Secretary to the Government of Federation, an agent of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the purpose of documentation for your appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which information you knew was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 17{1}(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000,
*That you Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu,(m), 63 years old of Plot 1855 Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometime in May 1986 or thereabout at Abuja, knowingly made a false document to wit: “Certificate of National Service with Certificate No. A231309” and used same as genuine when you knew the said document was forged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code.
*That you Geoffrey Nnaji Uchechukwu,(m), 63 years old of Plot 1855 Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro, Abuja, sometime in July, 1985 or thereabout at Abuja, knowingly made a false document to wit: “University Degree Certificate of Microbiology/Biochemistry with Certificate Number: 004501” purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and used same as genuine when you knew the said document was forged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code.
