Enugu High Court Clears UNN Deputy Registrar and Two Others of Academic Records Manipulation Charges
Enugu State High Court has cleared three UNN staff who were accused of criminal conspiracy to alter the academic records of a former student of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Mary Nwaeze 
In a recent development, Justice Ani Comfort Chinyere of EnuguState High Court has acquitted Mrs Empress Okoro, Godfrey Chikezie Onwukwe, and Aaron Agbo Adibe, who were accused of criminal conspiracy to manipulate the academic records of Nwoke Chibuike Ndubuisi, a former student of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The case, which commenced on February 3, 2021, following a petition by Nwoke, was brought before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The charges against the defendants included altering Nwoke's academic records and adjusting his CGPA from 3.50 to 3.49.
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However, in delivering the judgment, Justice Ani ruled that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the charges against the defendants. The judge emphasized that the prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence and did not establish any wrongdoing on the part of the accused.
In her reaction to the judgment, Mrs Empress Okoro, currently serving as the Deputy Registrar, Examination, at the University of Nigeria, expressed her relief and stated that the outcome vindicated her and her co-defendants. She asserted her commitment to upholding integrity and adherence to the rules in her professional duties.
Mrs Okoro further described the failed lawsuit as an attempt to tarnish her reputation but expressed gratitude that justice prevailed in the end.
This verdict brings closure to a legal saga that has been ongoing since 2021, and it underscores the importance of due process and the rule of law in resolving disputes.
