An FCT High Court sitting in Apo has ordered the remand of one Ndubuisi Chineme of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, and Godwin Takat of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, over allegations bordering on obtaining by false pretense and employment racketeering
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses, ICPC, in charge No. CR/243/2024, brought before Justice C.O. Oba, accused the defendants of defrauding unsuspecting job seekers to the tune of over N12,000,000.
ICPC in a 9-count charge, accused the defendants of jointly obtaining the said amount from their victims by false pretense.
According to the Counsel to the ICPC, Mr Nura Saidu, their actions, contravened section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section18 (d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and section 363 of the Penal Code Act, 1990.
The defendants, after hearing their count charges read to them, pleaded not guilty to all the 9-count charges.
Consequent upon the pleas, the presiding Judge asked the ICPC Counsel if they were ready for the trial proceeding, but the prosecuting counsel requested the court to adjourn the case to allow for adequate preparation for the hearing commencement, to which the defence counsel did not oppose.
Counsel to the two defendants, Mr. E.E. Ogar and I.O. Nweze filed separate bail applications and pleaded with the Judge to admit their clients to bail on very liberal terms pending trials.
Mr Saidu, counsel to the ICPC did not object to the bail applications made by the counsels to the defendants.
Justice Oba thereafter admitted the defendants to bail at N2 million with two sureties for each of them, who (each of the sureties) must have N20 Million in their accounts and 2 landed properties in the FCT, to be verified by the court.
He also ordered that the defendants be remanded in Suleja and Kuje Correctional Centers pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions. The Judge later adjourned the case till 13th January 2025 for the commencement of trial.
Two federal workers remanded for N12m job racketeering
