ICPC Secures 14-Year Jail Term For Deputy Director Over N7M Fraud

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
A serving Deputy Director of the Federal Character Commission, (FCC), Alh. Ahmad Balarabe, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by the State High Court 3 sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State for defrauding unsuspecting job seekers of N7million.

Balarabe, had earlier been dragged before Hon. Justice Bello Shinkafi, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

The Convict was first arraigned in September 2018 on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretense, an allegation to which he pleaded not guilty, thereby setting the tone for the long trial.

ICPC prosecutor, Mashkur Salisu, had told the court that Balarabe, while serving as the Coordinator, Sokoto and Zamfara States for FCC in 2017, collected N7million from some job seekers with the promise to get them employment with the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State.

The court was also informed that the said action of the convict was in contravention of Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

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While delivering his judgement, Justice Shinkafi said that the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt and that the action of the convict was “despicable and unbecoming of a public servant”.

He thereby sentenced Ahmad Balarabe to 14 years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). The judge also ruled that the convict should pay back N7million to the victims of the crime, in line with Section 11 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Section 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.