EXTRA: Court slams N500k fine on director who defrauded job seekers of N7m

A high court in Gusau, Zamfara state capital, has handed a 14-year jail sentence, with an option of N500,000 fine, to Ahmad Balarabe, a deputy director of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), convicted of defrauding job seekers of N7 million.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Balarabe before the court in September 2018, but he pleaded not guilty.

He was accused of collecting N7 million from some job seekers with the promise of getting them employed at the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara.

In a statement on Tuesday, Azuka Ogugua, ICPC spokesperson, said Mashkur Salisu, the prosecutor, informed the court that Balarabe committed the offence in 2017 when he was the commission’s coordinator for Sokoto and Zamfara states.

The ICPC prosecutor said the act contravenes section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same act.

Delivering the ruling, Bello Shinkafi, the presiding judge, said the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and that the action of the convict was despicable and unbecoming of a public servant.

“The judge sentenced Ahmad Balarabe to 14 years’ imprisonment with an option of fine of N500, 000,” Ogugua said.

“The judge also ruled that the convict should pay back N7m to the victims of the crime in line with Section 11 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Section 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.”