The Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arraigned Mrs. Joy Ndubuisi Chineme, a staff member of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, and Mr. Godwin Tabo Sakat of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for alleged job racketeering.
The two civil servants were accused of N12 million job racketeering and their trial has commenced before Justice C.O. Oba at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.
According to a statement signed by Demola Bakare, ICPC Director of Public Enlightenment, Education and Spokesperson, the two government workers were first arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in July 2024 on a nine-count charge.
At the opening of the trial on Monday, ICPC prosecution counsel, Mr. Suleiman Abdulkareem, presented Mrs. Adah Ojoma, an Assistant Director at ICPC, as the first prosecution witness. Mrs. Ojoma revealed that the investigation into Mrs. Chineme began after the Commission received a petition on March 4, 2022.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Mrs. Chineme’s bank accounts held various amounts, including a sum of ₦300,000 and transfers totalling over ₦12 million.
According to Ojoma, the first defendant transferred ₦3.9 million to her Zenith Bank account in 2018, over ₦5 million in 2019, and over ₦2.5 million in 2021. Additionally, ₦4.3 million was transferred to the second defendant, Mr. Sakat.
Ojoma also testified that a fake letter of employment was uncovered during the investigation. She stated that Mrs. Chineme voluntarily made a statement to the Commission, although defence counsel E.E. Oga contested this, claiming it was obtained under duress.
The court subsequently granted a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statement. During this session, Ojoma testified that Mrs. Chineme was informed of her rights and was allowed to call her husband and sister to assist her in making her statement due to her inability to write properly.
The defence counsel requested an adjournment to bring a witness, prompting the court to adjourn the case to March 25, 2025, for continuation of the trial.