The trial of two ministries’ staff, Joy Ndubuisi Chineme, a staff member of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, (first defendant) and one Godwin Tabo Sakat of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, (second defendant) over alleged 12 million job racketeering has commenced in earnest before Justice C.O. Oba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission had first arraigned the duo in a nine-count charge in July 2024.
At the commencement of trial on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Suleiman Abdulkareem brought before the court, Adah Ojoma, an Assistant Director in ICPC and first prosecution witness in the case.
Ojoma told the court that a petition against the first defendant was received on 4th of March 2022 which led to an investigation by the Commission.
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According to her, in the course of investigation, “the team first discovered the sum of Three Hundred Thousand naira in her (Mrs Chineme’s) bank account and different other amounts totaling over N12 million.
She transferred some of the money to her Zenith bank account and some to the second defendant (Mr Sakat).
Giving a breakdown, Ojoma said sometime in 2018, the first defendant transferred the sum of N3.9 million into her Zenith Bank, while in 2019, over N5 million was transferred and then over N2.5 million in 2021. And that the sum of N4.3 million was transferred to the second defendant.
She added that in the course of investigation, a letter of employment that was fake was also discovered.
She continued that, upon invitation to the Commission, the first defendant came and made her statement voluntarily.
However, counsel for the first defendant, E. E. Oga opposed that the first defendant did not make her statement voluntarily but under duress and therefore prayed the court to allow for a trial within trial.
Reacting, ICPC counsel, Abdulkareem said although the statement was not a confession, he was not opposed to the plea by his learned counsel.
During the trial within trial, Ojoma told the court that the first defendant was invited by the Commission and that after legal procedures were explained to her, she called her husband at one time and her sister at another time to write the statement on her behalf as she could not write properly.
Counsel for the first defendant, however, moved for an adjournment to enable him bring the defence witness.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till 25th of March, 2025 for continuation of trial.
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