Mr Monday Danjem, Registrar, University of Jos (UNIJOS) on Thursday said that the diploma held by a Plateau lawmaker, Ibrahim Baba-Hasssan, was not an authentic certificate by the university.
The UNIJOS registrar disowned the lawmaker’s certificate during his cross-examination before a Federal High Court in Jos.
“Ibrahim Baba-Hassan had failed six courses of the Diploma programme in Business Administration he enrolled in 1994 and couldn’t have completed and even obtained a certificate from UniJos in 1996, ’’ Danjem said.
Baba-Hassan, member representing Jos North-North Constituency in Plateau House of Assembly, is standing trial over alleged forgery of the university’s diploma certificate in Business Administration in 1996.
The registrar told the court in his evidence-in-chief that the diploma certificate the lawmaker submitted to INEC in 2014, while contesting for the Plateau House of Assembly did not emanate from University of Jos.
When the matter came up on Thursday for cross examination by the defence counsel, Mr Solomon Umoh (SAN), the registrar said there was no way the university could have issued him with a certificate since the lawmaker failed the courses in the programme.
Danjem also told the court that even when the Nigeria Police Force wrote to the university to confirm the authenticity of the certificate, “we told them bluntly that we didn’t issue that diploma certificate to him because it’s very strange to us.’’
“When we saw a publication in Punch Newspaper of March 9, 2016, claiming that the university issued Ibrahim Baba-Hassan with that diploma certificate, we have to immediately counter that with a disclaimer in Vanguard Newspaper.
“The University of Jos at no time issued the defender with such a certificate knowing fully well that he did not complete the course, ’’ he stated.
Again, when Umoh, presented a 2000 Convocation booklet to the prosecution witness and showed him where Baba-Hassan was issued with B.sc Degree in Management Science, Danjem declared it as “only a semblance of the university.’’
“I need to compare this convocation booklet with what I have before I could be sure it’s a true copy of the University of Jos brochure.
“More so while the degree certificate you earlier showed me is a Second Class honour (Lower) as obtained by the defender in 2000, the page where his name appeared on the convocation booklet showed that he obtained Third Class honour.
“So I need to compare this booklet with that which I have to be sure this is printed by the university, ’’ the registrar stated.
Danjem said: “It’s true the university have every record about Baba-Hassan right from the time he enrolled into the university for the diploma programme.’’
“Unfortunately he did not graduate and so the university never issued any diploma certificate to him because he failed six courses,’’ he concluded.
Mr David Ibeawuchi, prosecution counsel and Mr Joseph Danboyi, who held brief for the APC counsel, Mr L.D. Dafar, declined to re-cross examine and cross examine the Danjem, respectively.
On completion of his cross examination, Umoh applied for adjournment to enable him attend to some pressing personal issues.
The Judge, Justice Musa Kurya, then adjourned the case until Dec. 7 for continuation of hearing. With reports by NAN
