The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has begun prosecuting two federal government employees accused of involvement in a ₦12 million job racketeering scheme. The trial, presided over by Justice C.O. Oba, is taking place at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja.
The accused individuals are Mrs. Joy Ndubuisi Chineme, an employee of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, and Mr. Godwin Tabo Sakat, who works with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. According to a statement released by Demola Bakare, ICPC’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Education, and Spokesperson, the two were first arraigned in July 2024 on a nine-count charge.
At the trial’s opening on Monday, ICPC’s lead prosecutor, Mr. Suleiman Abdulkareem, called Mrs. Adah Ojoma, an Assistant Director at the Commission, as the first prosecution witness. Mrs. Ojoma testified that the investigation began following a petition received on March 4, 2022.
During the investigation, the Commission uncovered multiple transactions in Mrs. Chineme’s bank accounts, including a deposit of ₦300,000 and transfers exceeding ₦12 million. Further analysis revealed that in 2018, ₦3.9 million was transferred to her Zenith Bank account, followed by over ₦5 million in 2019 and more than ₦2.5 million in 2021. Additionally, a sum of ₦4.3 million was traced to Mr. Sakat’s account.
Mrs. Ojoma also disclosed that a fraudulent employment letter was discovered during the investigation. She testified that Mrs. Chineme provided a statement to the Commission voluntarily, though the defense counsel, E.E. Oga, argued that the statement was obtained under duress.
To resolve this contention, the court ordered a trial-within-trial to assess the voluntariness of the statement. During this phase, Mrs. Ojoma stated that Mrs. Chineme was informed of her rights and permitted to call her husband and sister for assistance in drafting her statement, as she struggled to write on her own.
The defense counsel requested more time to present a witness, leading the court to adjourn the trial to March 25, 2025, for further proceedings.
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Source: Chronicles Reporters