Mustapha Mohammed and Tijjani Adam Goni, two National Assembly employees, were found guilty by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) of participating in an employment scam for ₦4.8 million.
Demola Bakare, an ICPC spokesperson, said in a statement that the conviction came after victims filed a petition (ICPC/P/NC/1056/2022) accusing the two of collecting money under false pretenses of landing jobs.
It was discovered that two victims, Saifudeen Yakub and Aminu Abubakar, were reportedly cheated by the prisoners and another suspect who is still at large by offering them jobs at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Mustapha Mohammed identified himself as a National Assembly employee with strong ties to the CBN and FIRS, according to investigations. According to the statement, he promised the complainants that their appointment letters would be given by April 27, 2021, but instead wanted ₦4 million apiece from them.
According to reports, the victims deposited ₦3 million into one of the defendants’ Zenith Bank accounts and then paid an extra ₦300,000 each into another Access Bank account for alleged medical screening.
The defendants were charged with five counts of conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining money under false pretenses in violation of the Penal Code and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act, 2006, by the ICPC before Judge B.M. Bassi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court 55, Asokoro, Abuja.
Fatima Abdullahi Bardi, the prosecution’s attorney, told the court that in order to trick their victims, the convicts reportedly fabricated job letters from the CBN and FIRS.
However, the two chose a revised one-count charge of making false statements under Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which permits plea bargaining, in violation of Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Following their guilty plea to the modified charge, the two National Assembly employees were found guilty by the court.
According to the ICPC statement, “they were each fined ₦100,000 and refunded the entire ₦4.8 million to the ICPC Recovery Account as part of the plea agreement.”
The Commission reiterated its dedication to advancing integrity and accountability in public service and advised Nigerians to confirm all job offers through the appropriate government channels in order to prevent becoming victims of con artists.
