The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Ahmed Abdu, a former Prison Officer of the Nigeria Prisons Service over job racketeering, before an Abuja High Court.
The accused is facing two count charge on offenses contrary and punishable under section 10 (a)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act. When the charges were read out to him he pleaded not guilty.
The trial judge Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the Abuja High Court after taking the plea of the accused adjourned the matter to 23 June 2015 for trial.
The accused in the first count charge was alleged to have asked for the sum of N250,000 from one Adamu Abubakar with a signed agreement to help him secure employment with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps sometime in July 2014.
If convicted of the charges, the accused faces seven years imprisonment according to section 10 (a) (2) of the ICPC act which stipulates: “anything to be afterwards done or omitted or any favour , disfavour to be afterwards shown to any person, by a public officer in the discharge of his official duties or in relation to any such matter as aforesaid, is guilty of an offence of official corruption and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for seven years.
A petition to the ICPC Chairman from one Babangida Jibril alleged that the accused asked for and received the said sum of money per person, from him and five other persons in order to get them jobs with the Nigerian Immigration, Civil Defence or Prison Service.
Despite repeated demands by the petitioner and the others, the accused failed to provide the jobs he promised, eventually, Abdu requested the job seekers to make further payments of N50, 000 each to enable him get them their appointment letters which he never produced.
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