Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Commandant, Christopher Oluchukwu, has been sentenced to jail for employment scam. The Commandant was on Tuesday, convicted by the Katsina State High Court for participating in an employment scam.
This was contained in a statement from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The Commission said on Thursday that the trial judge, Abbas Bawale, handed down the conviction on Tuesday.
Commandant Oluchukwu was accused of receiving sums of money from individuals for the purpose of job placements at the NSCDC. A promise, which he didn’t fulfil.
The statement revealed that three of the victims reported the matter to ICPC after the promised jobs failed to materialize. And Oluchukwu could not not refund their money.
According to the report, the victims, each paid N200,000, N300,000, and N400,000, respectively.
During the trial, counsel for the ICPC, Ibrahim Garba, outlined how Oluchukwu’s actions violated sections 8, 10, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Garba detailed instances of corrupt practices, including the acceptance of bribes for job placements within the NSCDC.
Delivering judgment, Bawale found Oluchukwu guilty on all nine counts brought against him. The judge, therefore, sentenced him to five years imprisonment without an option of a fine. The sentences are to run concurrently
According to report, one of the counts read:” That you Christopher Oluchukwu Ugwubujo on or about the 25th and 28th day of November 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Court, while being a public officer with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) conferred corrupt advantage upon yourself by obtaining a total sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400, 000. 00) from one…for a job placement for her daughter into NSCDC and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”
The ICPC Act under which the NSCDC Commandant was prosecuted criminalizes different forms of corruption. These include bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of office. The Act also prescribes penalties for those found guilty of these offences.
source: Premium Times
