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Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, on Monday pleaded not guilty to six charges bordering on alleged forgery of certificates, obtaining salaries under false pretenses and money laundering in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Judge Joyce Abdulmalik subsequently granted the former minister bail in the amount of $20 million with a surety of the same sum and adjourned the matter for the start of trial. Project reports
Nnaji was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) for allegedly forging a degree certificate purportedly obtained from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which he allegedly submitted during his ministerial selection and subsequent public service appointments.
The anti-corruption agency also accused the former minister of fraudulently receiving around $29.5 million in salaries and other emoluments under false pretenses while holding public office.
According to the prosecution, the charges also include allegations of money laundering linked to payments received by the former minister during the period under investigation.
He pleads not guilty
When the charges were read to him, Nnaji pleaded not guilty to all six charges.
Following his request, the ICPC lawyer informed the court that the prosecution was ready to begin the trial immediately and had already lined up three witnesses present in court and ready to testify.
However, the accused’s lawyer, Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, urged the court to give him time to adequately prepare for the defence.
The senior lawyer also drew the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on July 9, 2026, seeking his client’s temporary release pending the disposition of the case.
The public prosecution did not oppose the application.
In a short ruling, Justice Abdulmalik admitted the former minister to post bail in the sum of $20 million with a surety, who must be a federal civil servant not below Grade 15 level and resident in the Federal Capital Territory.
The court also ordered the defendant to deposit both his official and international passports with the court registry pending the decision of the case.
Accusations against the former minister
The former minister’s indictment came after months of investigations into the authenticity of his academic and service records.
Investigators are said to have questioned the validity of certificates presented by Nnaji during his career in public service.
Reports indicate that both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the National Youth Service Corps allegedly reneged on the certificates in question, a development that formed an important element of the prosecution’s case.
The ICPC had previously argued that its investigations had revealed discrepancies in the documents allegedly submitted by the former minister and that there was sufficient evidence to justify a criminal prosecution.
The allegations have attracted considerable public interest, especially because they touch on issues of integrity and transparency in public office.
Arrest and resignation of the DSS
Nnaji was arrested on June 30, 2026, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after arriving from Enugu State.
The arrest followed a Federal High Court order issued on June 11, 2026, after the former minister allegedly failed to honor several invitations made to him by investigators.
The development came months after he resigned from office on October 7, 2025.
At the time of his resignation, Nnaji described his decision as a principled step aimed at preserving the sanctity of due process and allowing the legal process to take its course without interference.
He, however, denied any wrongdoing and insisted he was innocent of the charges leveled against him.
The former minister had also claimed that some elements behind the case were politically motivated and intended to tarnish his reputation and derail his political ambitions.
Nnaji is currently the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State.
Protesters demand justice
The court premises also witnessed a dramatic scene where members of a civil society coalition, Global Gender Safety and Moral Development, staged a protest demanding accountability and strict enforcement of the rule of law.
The group, which claimed to have mobilized over 300 members, carried placards demanding justice and urged anti-corruption agencies not to succumb to pressure in handling the matter.
Addressing journalists immediately after the court proceedings, the group’s coordinator, Comrade Shuaibu Abdulkadir, said public offices require honesty, transparency and respect for the rule of law.
He insisted that no public official, regardless of status or political affiliation, should be above the law.
“Where criminal responsibility has been established through due process, the full weight of the law should be applied to protect the integrity of our educational institutions, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the National Youth Service Corps,” he said.
Abdulkadir also urged the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, as well as the ICPC, to continue to carry out their constitutional responsibilities without fear or favor.
“Justice must prevail. Nigerians deserve leaders whose record and credentials can withstand public scrutiny. The credibility of our institutions depends on the willingness of authorities to hold individuals accountable where wrongdoing is established,” he added.
Process for testing the integrity of public institutions
The trial is expected to attract significant national attention given the nature of the charges and the prominence of the defendant.
Legal observers say the case could also reopen conversations about verifying credentials submitted by public office holders and the need for more rigorous institutional checks before appointments to sensitive government positions.
For now, the former minister remains on bail as the court prepares to begin the full trial in what could become one of the country’s most closely monitored cases involving allegations of certificate forgery and abuse of public trust.
