ICPC arraigns NSITF staff over N7.1m job scam – TheNigerialawyer

A staff of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF),
Ukwunna Anthony, has been arraigned at the High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, by the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for
allegedly defrauding job seekers of N7.1 million.

The commission informed the court that the defendant had
demanded and received specifically the sum of N7, 150, 000 from
several individuals in exchange for jobs with the NSITF, through
one Ogechi Egejuru, who had paid him for herself and was said to
have acted as a middleman between him and many other job
seekers.

ICPC, in a six-count charge filed before Justice Abba Mohammed,
accused Anthony of receiving the gratification through his Access
Bank account from Egejuru and making false statements to an officer
of the commission in the course of his official duty.

According to the charge sheet, his actions violated sections 10,
19 and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act
2000 and punishable under the same act.

He was also said to have admitted to the crime during the
investigation and had made refunds to the victims, a statement
issued and signed by the commission’s spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat
Okoduwa, a copy of which was made available to Tribune Online in
Abuja, on Tuesday, said.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was
read to him, as his counsel, Uche Ibiam, approached the court with
an application for bail.

Justice Mohammed, while ruling on the bail application, admitted
him to bail in the sum of N2 million and one surety in like sum.
The case was then adjourned to November 7, 2019, for hearing.