Mohammed Ali Garba, a Yobe-based civil servant allegedly faked an investigation against the Provost of the Federal College of Education, Oji River, Dr. Owan Obodagu Tonica to pocket N3.5 million.
According to Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Garba had fabricated a letter purportedly signed by the commission’s Director of Operations.
Garba would demand N3.5 million under the guise of settling the Director of Operations to “kill the non-existing investigation.”
During the process, he also faked his educational status, saying he did not further his education beyond the primary level. However, he holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Linguistics/English from the University of Maiduguri.
The accused was arraigned by the ICPC before Justice M.A. Hassan of Federal High Court, Abuja with a suit No: CR/478/2022.
Garba was charged with extortion, forgery and personification.
Justice Hassan ruled that the accused has committed offences contrary to, and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act, and sections 10 and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
However, Garba, through his counsel, A.D. Atanda and M.K. Akanbi, pleaded not guilty to all the charges read against him.
The matter was therefore adjourned to the January 15, 2023, for determination of the bail application as it was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Mashkur Salisu. That was after the Judge ordered the administrative bail earlier granted him by the commission to subsist.
