A Niger State High Court sitting in Minna has sentenced Mr. Lawal Idris Abdullahi to six years in prison for receiving double salary.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arrested the civil servant for fraudulently receiving monthly emoluments from two Federal Government agencies.
The ICPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that Abdullahi was arraigned before the acting Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Maria Zukogi, by the commission on six counts bordering on making false statements to public officers, thereby contravening Sections 25 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and 122 of the Nigerian Penal Code and punishable under the same sections respectively.
The ICPC began investigation after receiving a petition on Abdullahi’s fraudulent and dishonest activities from the National Identity Management Commission where he was working and at the same time drawing monthly salary from the Federal Inspectorate Service, Minna, which is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Education.
Shortly after the commencement of his trial, Abdullahi’s solicitors notified the trial judge of their intention to explore the plea bargain option which was not opposed by the ICPC’s prosecuting counsel, Mrs. O.O. Oluwadunsi, and Mr. O. A. Obajunwon-Ogunlana.
The statement read in part, “Justice Zukogi, upon conclusion of the plea bargain and sentencing agreement, convicted and found Abdullahi guilty of all the charges brought against him after he had pleaded guilty.
She therefore sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each of the counts which cumulated to six years that will run consecutively with the option of the payment of a fine of N40, 000 only on each of the counts amounting to N240, 000. Abdullahi was, in addition, bound and ordered to execute a bond in the sum of N100, 000 to be of good behaviour for one year.”