The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the allegations of forgery of a discharge certificate brought against Enugu State Governor, Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo delivered the verdict, stating that the NYSC was unable to substantiate and defend the forgery allegations as required by law.
The court, in a judgment issued in a suit filed by Governor Mbah against the NYSC, has imposed a fine of N5 million on the Corps.
This fine is to be paid jointly to the plaintiff for suppressing facts and conspiring against him in the serious allegations.
The court maintained that the evidence presented by Enugu State Governor regarding the issuance of the discharge certificate in 2003 by the NYSC, after serving at a law firm in Lagos, was unchallenged.
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In contrast, the NYSC failed to provide counter-evidence, leading the court to conclude that the plaintiff had indeed fulfilled the mandatory one-year service requirement.
Justice Ekwo emphasized that the burden of proof in forgery allegations rests squarely on the NYSC, and in this case, they failed to meet that burden, leaving Governor Mbah’s evidence more credible.
Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah had initiated legal action against the NYSC and its Director, Corps Certification, Ibrahim Muhammad, in response to a disclaimer published by the NYSC, denying the authenticity of the discharge certificate issued to him on January 6, 2003.
The NYSC had, on February 1, issued a letter signed by Ibrahim Muhammed asserting that the Corps had not issued the NYSC certificate found in possession of Governor Mbah.