ICPC charges federal civil servants with employment racketeering, fraud

By Adeyanju Esther

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged two federal civil servants, Mrs. Ndubuisi Joy Cheneme and Mr. Godwin Sabo Takat, with obtaining by false pretense and employment racketeering.

The duo allegedly defrauded job seekers of over Twelve Million Naira (N12,000,000).

The ICPC accused the defendants of jointly obtaining the sum through fraudulent means, violating Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 18(d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, 1990.

One of the charges states, “That you, Godwin Sabo Takat, between January and June 2018 or thereabouts at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, while being a staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, with the intent to defraud, did induce Ndubuisi Joy Cheneme by false pretense to confer a benefit upon you by paying Four Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira (N4,530,000.00) into your First Bank account for securing employment for unsuspecting job seekers in the Federal Civil Service, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(2) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all nine counts, and the Judge granted bail to the defendants in the amount of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) each, with two sureties per defendant. The case was adjourned to January 13, 2025, for the commencement of the trial.

The ICPC Counsel, Mr. Nura Saidu, did not oppose the bail requests, and the defense counsel, Mr. E.E. Ogar and Mr. I.O. Nweze, filed separate bail applications.