The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Mr. Garuba Mohammed Duku, a retired Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), for corruption and money laundering involving N318 million.
According to a statement by the Commission, Mr. Duku was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho.
He was found guilty on a six-count charge of corruption and money laundering filed by the ICPC in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022. He diverted N318,250,000 belonging to AMMC into his personal account.
“Investigations by the ICPC revealed that between 2012 and 2013, the convict fraudulently diverted N318,250,000 (Three Hundred and Eighteen Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) belonging to AMMC into his personal account, which was domiciled at Fidelity Bank Plc.
“Further findings showed that he received multiple payments totaling the said sum, including N56.25 million, N71 million, N53 million, N54 million, N46 million, and N36.3 million, which were subsequently transferred to Bureau de Change operators and expended for unauthorized purposes,” the commission stated
During the trial, the ICPC established that Duku’s method of fund release and withdrawal was fraudulent and in violation of extant government financial regulations.
- The Commission also refuted Mr. Duku’s claim that the funds were disbursed to his superiors, as no evidence was produced to substantiate the assertion
Court’s ruling
Justice Omotosho held that the evidence and witness testimonies presented by the Commission proved the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Consequently, the court sentenced Duku to four years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts or an option of a fine equivalent to five times the amount stated in each count, totalling approximately N1.6 billion. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The ICPC said the conviction reflects its commitment to holding public officers accountable and ensuring justice for acts of corruption.
It stated that the judgment highlights its unwavering commitment to holding public officers accountable and ensuring that those who betray the public trust through corrupt practices are brought to justice in accordance with the law.
What you should know
The conviction adds to a series of corruption-related prosecutions concluded by the ICPC of recent.
Nairametrics reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja remanded two staff members of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Umar Musa Karaye and Emmanuel Titus, over an alleged N426 million project supervision fraud.
According to the ICPC’s counsel, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, Karaye allegedly diverted N165 million, while Titus was indicted for N261 million. The duo were accused of collecting various sums under false pretence of supervising electricity projects on behalf of the agency.
A civil servant, Emmanuel Ogunyemi, was convicted for unlawfully receiving salaries from two different government entities, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The illegal gain was about N3.49 million.
Early this year, ICPC also arrested Adam Imam Yusuf, a Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff, over alleged fraudulent diversion of more than N3 billion.
