The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured the conviction of a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant, Christopher Oluchukwu, for defrauding individuals seeking employment for their children.
According to a statement posted on the website of the ICPC on Thursday, Oluchukwu was found guilty on all nine counts filed against him at Katsina State High Court 3.
The charges stemmed from allegations that he collected a total of N900,000 from three separate individuals under false pretences of securing them jobs within the NSCDC.
The statement partly read, “In the case filed by ICPC at the Katsina State High Court 3, the convict was accused of receiving the sum of N200,000:00, N300,000:00 and N400,000:00 respectively, from three individuals under the pretext of securing jobs for their children with the NSCDC.
“The victims had reported the matter to ICPC after the convict failed to procure the said job and refused to refund their money.”
During the trial, counsel to ICPC, Ibrahim Garba, in a 9-counts charge told the court how the action of the convict negates Sections 8,10 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
One of the counts read, “That you Christopher Oluchukwu Ugwubujo on or about 25th and 28th day of November 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Court while being a public officer with the NSCDC conferred a corrupt advantage upon yourself by obtaining a total sum of four hundred thousand naira (N400, 000. 00) from one for a job placement for her daughter into NSCDC and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”
In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Abbas Bawale was reported to have found Oluchukwu guilty on all nine counts and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment without the option of fine.
“Similarly, the trial judge pronounced that the sentences were to run concurrently. He also held that even though the defendant was at large (he jumped bail), his sureties should be arrested and kept in custody for further investigation,” the statement added.
PUNCH Online reported in January that the Nigeria Customs Service has arrested one Abdul-Rahman Ibrahim, in his fifties, for his involvement in fraudulent activities and the impersonation of the Comptroller-General of Customs and other high-ranking government officials.
The suspect was reported to have fraudulently lured numerous unsuspecting citizens to pay him money for the issuance of ‘job appointment letters,’ thereby extorting over N1 million from them.