The Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned hearing in the trial of Prof David Iornem over his involvement in an alleged award of fake academic recognitions until December 12.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed also adjourned the ruling in admissibility of documents tendered by the defence, Chris Alashi, at the instance of the prosecution witness, Prof Is-haq Oloyode, the current Registrar of JAMB.
Iornem was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a three-count charge of allegedly operating an illegal university and obtaining under false presence.
Alashi, the defence counsel, had tendered seven academic documents written by Oloyode while he was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin during the latter’s cross examination.
Oloyode who was able to identify the documents, told the court that he had no objection to identifying the documents if it would aid the court in establishing the case.
According to the defence, the documents tendered are relevant as they will assist the defence show that the online programmes exist.
Alashi admitted that the documents were all front loaded from websites of the institutions Oloyode gave the lectures and speeches.
He, therefore, prayed the court to admit the documents as evidence.
The prosecution led by Ebenezer Shogunle, however, objected to the admissibility of the documents on grounds of lack of authenticity, saying they were computer-generated.
According to Shogunle, his objection was also based on Section 84 of the Evidence Act which deals with the non-admissibility of computer-generated materials.
Oloyode had given evidence how the Iornem-led fake Commonwealth University, Belize, had offered to award him a doctorate degree at payment of 11,550 US dollars in 2012.
He had told the court that the offer was not only fake but dubious.
He further said the degree Iornem offered to award him was a professional and academic degree of Commonwealth University, Belize, which was fake.
Oloyode said he had proceeded to write a petition to the National Universities Commission for investigation of the matter.
The commission had swung into action by writing to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission who investigated the claims.
According to the prosecutor, ICPC discovered that the university was non-existent.
The commission also averred that the defendant was in the habit of duping people with the same intent of giving fake awards.
