court
Judiciary
FCC Director
court
Judiciary
FCC Director Arraigned over N8.8m Job Scam
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has charged a Deputy Director with the Federal
Character Commission (FCC), Mr. Ahmad Balarabe to court for
allegedly defrauding unsuspecting job seekers of N8.8 million.
The Commission, in a two-count charge brought before Justice
Bello Shinkafi, of the Zamfara State High Court, Gusau, said that
Mr. Balarabe fraudulently collected huge sums of money from job
seekers with a promise to employ them into the services of the
Federal University, Gusau and other federal government
agencies.
ICPC informed the court that the accused, while acting as the
State Coordinator, FCC, in October, 2014, collected the N8.8
million from several job seekers including N970, 000.00 from one
Lawali Sule Garba and his friends as financial commitment for
processing their employments.
According to the Commission, his offence violates Section 1 (1)
(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2004
and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
One of the counts read, “That you, Ahmad Balarabe, in October
2014 or thereabouts at Gusau, Zamfara State, whilst being the State
Coordinator, Federal Character Commission, with the intent to
defraud, did obtain by false pretense, the sum of N7, 700, 000.00
from unsuspecting job seekers under the guise of securing
employment for them into the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara
State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1
(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud
and Other Related Offences Act, 2004.
The Deputy Director who now heads Public Enlightenment, Media
and Mobilisation Department of FCC, pleaded not guilty when the
charge was read to him as his counsel, A. Abubakar, urged the court
to grant him bail on liberal terms.
Counsel to ICPC, Mashkur Salisu, while agreeing that the accused
be released on bail, urged the court to be mindful of the penalties
for the offence which is a maximum of twenty years
imprisonment.
He therefore prayed the court to ensure that the accused
provided reasonable surety in line with the provisions of the law
before he would be admitted to bail.
The trial Judge, while ruling on the bail application, admitted
the accused to bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in
like sum. The sureties must have landed property in Gusau, valued
at N30 million each. The bail conditions also required the accused
to submit his international passport with the court.
Justice Bello ruled that Balarabe should be remanded in the
Gusau Central Prison, pending the fulfillment of his bail
conditions.
Director sent to Prison for Land Fraud
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 14, Jabi, presided
over by Honourable Justice Danlami Senchi, has committed a Deputy
Director of the Federal Government Property Alienation Committee,
Mr. Patrick Pillah, to jail for fraudulently converting a plot of
land belonging to another person to use by his relations and
associates.
Mr. Pillah was charged to court by the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on three
counts, one of which was conferring corrupt advantage upon himself
by virtue of the office he was occupying in Abuja Municipal Area
Council (AMAC).
The Commission, in the charge sheet, told the court that Pillah,
in July 2000, used his position as a public officer in AMAC to
confer corrupt advantage upon his relations and associates by
transferring the title document for plot SS1 Jikwoyi Extension 111,
to an unregistered company, Pax Education Resources belonging to
them.
Counsel to ICPC, Adesola Michael told the court that the offence
violated Sections 19 and 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of
the same Act.
One of the counts read: “That you Patrick Pillah, on or about
the month of July 2000 at Abuja while being a public officer in
Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abuja, as Secretary of Committee of
Resolution of Disputes involving land and Zonal Land Manager
respectively used your said office to confer corrupt advantage upon
relations and associates of Patrick Pillah by causing title
documents of plot SS1 Jikwoyi Extension 111, to be issued in favour
of Pax Education Resources an unregistered company belonging to
Patrick Pillah’s relations and associates and you thereby committed
an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The trial judge, Hon. Senchi, handing down the judgment, found
the accused guilty of the charge and therefore sentenced him to one
month in jail without an option of fine. He also ruled that the
land be returned to the original owner.
Signed:
Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission