The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured the conviction of two National Assembly staff, Mustapha Mohammed and Tijjani Adam Goni, for their role in a ₦4.8 million job scam.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, said the conviction followed a petition filed by victims who alleged that the duo, along with another suspect still at large, collected ₦4.8 million under the guise of offering them jobs.
Bakare explained that Justice B.M. Bassi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Asokoro, Abuja, found them guilty of defrauding two victims, Saifudeen Yakub and Aminu Abubakar, by promising employment at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
“Investigations revealed that Mustapha Mohammed had introduced himself as a National Assembly staff member with close connections at the CBN and FIRS. He allegedly demanded ₦4 million each from the complainants, assuring them that their appointment letters would be released by April 27, 2021,” Bakare said.
He added that the victims deposited ₦3 million into a Zenith Bank account belonging to one of the defendants and later paid ₦300,000 each for fake medical screening into another Access Bank account.
“Following investigations, the ICPC arraigned the suspects on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and the Penal Code,” he added.
According to the ICPC, prosecution counsel Fatima Abdullahi Bardi told the court that the defendants forged employment letters purportedly issued by the CBN and FIRS to deceive their victims.
Bakare said, “However, under Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which allows plea bargaining, the defendants pleaded guilty to an amended one-count charge of making false statements, contrary to Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
He explained that as part of the plea agreement, the convicts refunded the ₦4.8 million to the ICPC Recovery Account and were each fined ₦100,000.
The ICPC warned Nigerians to be cautious of fake job offers and to always verify employment claims through the right authorities.
