Electoral Fraud: Prof. Uduk’s Medical Report Forged, Police Reveal

Wale Igbintade and Okon Bassey in Uyo

An investigation conducted by the Commissioner of Police, Special Squad, Lagos State Police Command, has revealed that the medical report tendered in court by Professor Ignatius Uduk, as a reason for not appearing in court was forged.

Uduk a professor of Physical and Health Education, University of Uyo is standing trial before the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo on a three-count charge of electoral fraud bordering on announcing fake results, publication of fake results, and lying under oath.

Prof Uduk had through his lawyer presented a medical report from Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), dated June 17, 2022, and signed by the Snr. Registrar, Dr. Akintunbo A. O, that his client was suffering from Bladder Outlet Obstruction(stricture) and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (B. P.H).

However, a letter by the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Special Squad, Lagos State Police Command dated July 25, 2022, and signed by CSP Kehinde Johnson, stated that the said medical report was fake as it did not emanate from the LASUTH.

The letter addressed to Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN stated that the name of Dr. Akintunbo that signed the said medical report is not on the nominal roll of LASUTH.

The letter reads: “I refer to your letter dated 187 July 2022 on the above subject matter, and I forward herewith the Police Investigation report as requested.

‘’On the 28th June 2022 a petition “Forgery of medical report to escape justice” written and addressed to the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command by one Cement Onwuenwunor & Co a legal practitioner on behalf of INEC was endorsed to this office for investigation.

‘’The petitioner alleged one Prof. Ignatius Uduk ‘M’of serving a fake medical report to court ascribing his absence from court to debilitating ill-health.

‘’The allegation was objectively and meticulously investigated. The  LASUTH, Ikeja from where the medical report purportedly emanated was contacted and it was revealed that the said Prof. Ignatius Uduk ‘m’, has never been admitted in LASUTH and the Hospital has no record of him, and could not have carried out any medical examination on him of the various ailment alleged in the medical report he presented, which has been confirmed to be fake.

‘’The medical report did not emanate from LASUTH, it is fake and the name of Dr. A.O. Akintunbo that signed the said medical report is not on the nominal roll of LASUTH.’’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) engaged Prof. Uduk as a Collation/Returning Officer for the Essien Udim State Constituency on March 9th, 2019 governorship, and the house of assembly elections.

INEC had charged two Uni-Uyo professors engaged as Adhoc staff, to court for electoral fraud.

While one of the professors, Peter Ogban, was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment, Professor Uduk’s case suffered repeated adjournments, in the course of which the judge in charge of the case was replaced by a new trial judge.

However, during resumed proceedings  yesterday  in Uyo in which the Defence Counsel was absent due to ill health, Counsel to INEC, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN) tendered a report from the Lagos State Police Commissioner saying the earlier report on the ill health of the accused was fake.

Onwuenwunor revealed that the doctor who was said to have signed the fake medical report purportedly received from the LASUTH, was not in the pay roll of the hospital, while the Defence Counsel, who skipped court on ill health since last week was in court the previous day in Ikot Ekpene.

Counsel to INEC stated that from January when the accused was supposed to have opened defence, his counsel had used all kinds of tricks to delay court proceedings, and prayed the court to revoke the bail of the accused.

“He had medical challenge but unfortunately the letter was not filed in court as required by some of the decisions of the Supreme Court that if you want the court to act upon a letter of adjournment, you must file it appropriately in the registry, that was not done.

“For the letter of adjournment also, the excuse given was clearly unfounded because this Counsel who said he has been sick for several days was seen yesterday in court 2, Ikot Ekpene by one of my colleagues as I reported in court with the suit number where he appeared.

“Just to show to the whole world that the gimmicks going on was just to frustrate the successful prosecution of this case,  is that after the last date where the accused person was reported sick and the medical report was also presented,  we caused an investigation into it.

“There is a police report from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police that the letter submitted on that last day was forged, and that Prof Uduk was never admitted in LASUTH, and that in fact, the doctor who signed the medical report is not on the nominal roll of the LASUTH, that is a global institution that has serious prestige, and would never allow anyone to manoeuvre its record.

“What today’s proceeding showed for the whole world to see,  is that the defence is simply not interested in going on with this case and I believe they have no defence so far, that is why they want to use this gimmick to frustrate this prosecution, but they would not succeed,” he stated.

“I am not privy to what is going on. If I was, I would not be here. Let me be taken to the medical clinic here for a test, I am sick and dying here. This case has dragged on for too long and I am not a part of it,” he stated.

In his response, the trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, who expressed dismay that the defence counsel has delayed the case unnecessarily using all forms of antics, denied the application of INEC to revoke the bail of the accused.

Justice Nkanang insisted that the defence must open its defence at the next adjourned date of August 8, 2022,  saying: “I will not revoke the bail but we must return within this legal year and complete defenses.”

Prof. Uduk, is standing trial on three count amended charges bordering on abandonment of duties, publishing of false election result score, and lying on oath.