An alleged operator of an illegal University, David Iornem, was on Thursday arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The accused person is standing trial on a three-count charge filed against him by ICPC, bothering on fraudulent collection of the sum of $17,300 from three different people to secure admission into the University.
His victims are the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, Akinkiotu Albert Oluwatoyin and Jamilu Rabiu Sani. He however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.
The trial Judge, Justice A.R Mohammed thereafter, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum who must be civil servant in the employment of the federal government or any of its agencies.
The surety, the Judge added must swear to an affidavit of means and drop his recent passport with the court registrar.
The three-count charge reads:
That you, David Iornem, (m) on or about the 4th day of July, 2012 at Abuja, with intention to defraud, attempted to obtain the total sum of $11,550 (Eleven thousand, five hundred and fifty Dollars) from one Professor Is-haq Oloyede by falsely representing yourself to be “Professor David Iornem” and solicited payment of the said sum of $11,550 (Eleven thousand, five hundred and fifty Dollars) from Professor Is-haq Oloyede for the award of an academic doctorate degree of COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, BELIZE when you know that the said Commonwealth University, Belize is a fake and unaccredited university owned and operated by you, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
That you, David Iornem, (m) on or about the 21st day of January, 2013 at Abuja, with intention to defraud, obtained the sum of $5,000 (Five thousand United States Dollars) from one Akinkiotu Albert Oluwatoyin by falsely representing yourself to be ‘Professor David Iornem’ and pretending to offer admission to the said Akinkuotu Albert Oluwatoyin to pursue a degree of doctor of philosophy in management of the COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, BELIZE when you know that the said Commonwealth University Belize is a fake and unaccredited university owned and operated by you and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006.
That you, David Iornem, (m) on or about the 23th May, 2013 at Abuja, received the sum of $800 (Eight hundred Dollars) from one Jamilu Rabiu Sani as application form fee and good faith deposit for admission into COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, BELIZE when you know that the said Commonwealth University Belize is a fake and unaccredited university owned and operated by you and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
