ICPC NAILS EX-FCTA DIRECTOR ₦318M SCAM, GETS 24YEARS JAIL TERM
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BY MUNIRAT BALOGUN
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a retired Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Mr. Garuba Mohammed Duku, over corruption and money laundering involving ₦318 million.
Duku was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Abuja, after Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on a six-count charge bordering on corruption and money laundering. The charges were filed by the ICPC in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022.
According to findings by the Commission, Duku, while serving as Director of Finance and Administration at AMMC — an agency under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) — fraudulently diverted ₦318,250,000 belonging to the Council into his personal bank account between 2012 and 2013.
Investigators discovered that the convict received multiple payments totaling the said sum, including ₦56.25 million, ₦71 million, ₦53 million, ₦54 million, ₦46 million, and ₦36.3 million, which he subsequently transferred to Bureau de Change operators and expended for purposes unrelated to government business.
During the trial, the ICPC proved that the defendant’s method of fund release and withdrawal violated established financial regulations and government accounting procedures.
The Commission also successfully countered Duku’s claim that the funds were handed over to his superiors, noting that he failed to produce any evidence to substantiate the assertion.
In his judgment, Justice Omotosho held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, describing the evidence and witness testimonies as credible and consistent.
Consequently, the court sentenced Duku to four years imprisonment on each of the six counts, with the sentences running concurrently. The court, however, gave him the option of paying a fine equivalent to five times the amount involved in each count, amounting to approximately ₦1.6 billion.
The ICPC, in a statement, said the conviction reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring accountability in public service, stressing that public officials who abuse their positions of trust will face the full weight of the law.
“This conviction underscores ICPC’s unwavering commitment to holding public officers accountable and ensuring that those who betray the public trust through corrupt practices are brought to justice,” the Commission stated.
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