Justice Ani Comfort Chinyere of Enugu State High Court has discharged and acquitted Mrs Empress Okoro, Godfrey Chikezie Onwukwe and Aaron Agbo Adibe who were arraigned over charges of criminal conspiracy to alter the academic records of Nwoke Chibuike Ndubuisi of the Department of Phycology/Sociology and Anthropology.
On February 3, 2021, following a petition by Nwoke, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), dragged Mrs Empress Okoro, the then Registrar of Examination, University of Nigeria, and her co-defendants to an Enugu High Court.
The allegation against the defendants bordered on a three-count charge of altering the academic records and re-computing the CGPA of the petitioner from 3.50 to 3.49.
While delivering judgment on the suit marked E/89C/2020 in 2023, Justice Ani ruled that the prosecution was not able to prove that the defendants committed the offenses as charged.
“The prosecution failed woefully in providing any iota of evidence that any bribe or gratification was requested from PW2 by any of the defendants.
The allegation of asking for bribe levelled against the defendants remained unfounded”, Justice Ani read.
The judge added that the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, but failed to prove the elements of the charges of altering the academic records and re-computing the petitioner’s CGPA.
While reacting to the judgement, Mrs Empress Okoro, the current Deputy Registrar, Examination of the University of Nigeria, expressed happiness that she and her co-defendants have been vindicated.
“The reason I am still in this position is because the management of the University of Nigeria knows that I will always do the right thing, I do my job according to the rules”, Mrs Okoro said.
Mrs Okoro said that the failed suit was an attempt to tarnish her image, but God did not allow her detractors to succeed.