The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a one year prison term each for two staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Augustine Chukwuemeka and Agnes Ikeme for abuse of public office.
They were alleged to have diverted Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) worth N653,760 allocated to NRC by the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), Kaduna through a marketer, and sold it, thereby committing an offence contrary and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The duo were handed the convictions by Justice Mohammed Aliyu of Kaduna State High Court, after evidences against them proved that they actually committed the offence.
The accused had earlier been arraigned by ICPC on a 20-count charge and had pleaded not guilty to all the allegations leveled against them which set the tone for months of legal trial.
During the proceedings, the counsel to ICPC had told the court that the accused persons’ action was a clear breach of trust and sought the relief of the court to mete out the appropriate punishment on them in accordance with the provision of the law so as to serve as a deterrent to other public office holders.
Having found the accused persons guilty and taken their plea of leniency, the trial judge, sentenced them to one year imprisonment each without an option of fine.
In a related development, a Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja has sentenced one Sunny Martins Omokhagbor, to three years imprisonment for cheating and false pretense.
The accused was dragged to the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) for contravening Section 320 (a and b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code.
A summary of the other counts were to the effect that the accused person also induced one Joseph Oba Iyatse to part with the sum of N200, 000 to help him secure a German visa.
The prosecution witnesses were able to establish a prima facie case of cheating as alleged in the charge brought against Omokhagbor. The accused also admitted committing the crimes in his voluntary statements made to ICPC which were tendered in court.
Justice Folashade Ojo therefore sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment with an option of N100,000 as fine.
