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A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, has convicted Mrs Ramat Mba, a mother-of-five, for forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, the late Abba Kyari.
The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad deferred the sentencing of the convict till Thursday, 16th of May, 2024, but directed that she should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, had arraigned Mba in June 2022, on a five-count charge of cheating, fraud and forgery contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.
One of the counts read: “That you Ramat Mba (f) sometime in October 2019, or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court did fraudulently induce one Mr Ismail Oladipupo, an unsuspecting job seeker and collected N700,000 from him which sum was paid into your private account under the guise of securing employment for him at the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASDRA and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
During the trial, ICPC’s prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani, led evidence before the court on how the convict dishonestly induced her victims in the guise of securing employment for them with government agencies such as Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, NASRDA and ICPC.
Documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged a letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari, Abba Kyari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the Chairman of ICPC was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.
However, the late Chief of Staff, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.
In his judgment, Justice Muhammad convicted the mother of five on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 which borders on cheating and forgery while she was discharged on count 4 which bordered on felony.
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