ICPC arraigns FCDA staff, other, over land racketeering

By Ogaga Ariemu

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned one Nasiru Alhassan Ahmed and his company, Ramat Concrete Limited on offences bordering on alleged forgery and land racketeering.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Commission’s Spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said the duo was docked before Hon. Justice I. Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 54 sitting in Gwagwalada.

ICPC had in a 2-count charge accused Mr. Ahmed, a staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and his company of making a false statement in the application for the grant/regrant of Statutory Right of Occupancy with the intention to mislead officials of the Federal Capital Territory Authority.

The Commission told the Court of how the 2nd defendant,  Mr. Ahmed, who was at a time the Personal Assistant on Land Matters to the then Minister of State for FCT in 2009, made use of privileged information at his disposal on a land at Plot 1460 Cadastral Zone E27 Apo Resettlement, took advantage of the vacuum that existed on the plot, that there was no Right of Occupancy or Certificate of Occupancy granted on the Land, and incorporated Ramat Concrete Limited for the purpose of acquiring the plot.

The Court was also informed of how the 2nd defendant used his position to mislead the Federal Capital Territory Authority to allocate the said plot of land to his Company using fake names and address on the application forms.

The defendants’ actions are contrary to, and punishable under sections 17 and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

When the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty to all of them.

The defense counsel, Mohammed Sani, in a 15- paragraph affidavit and pursuant to section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, prayed the Court to grant his client bail in the most liberal of conditions.

Although the bail application was not opposed by counsel to ICPC, Agbili Ezenwa Kingsley, he however sought the relief of the Court to grant the bail in the most stringent of conditions as that will compel the accused person to attend his trial.

The trial judge, having listened to the submissions of both parties, admitted the accused person to a bail in the sum of 10 Million Naira and a surety in like sum, who must be a civil servant from grade level 15 and above, and resident within the jurisdiction of the Court.

The case has been adjourned to the 7th of December 2022 for the commencement of trial.