Civil servant jailed seven years for taking N11m bribe in Niger

A former Deputy Director in the Niger State Ministry of Land Transportation, Umar Farouk, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the State High Court in Minna for bribery.

Farouq was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in July 2020 for receiving N11 million from a contractor for the award of a contract.

He was docked on a seven-count charge of gratification and conferment of corrupt advantage upon self.

The ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

She said: “ICPC prosecutor, Osuobeni Akpos, had told the court that Farouk while serving as the Deputy Director of Land Transport for the Niger State Ministry of Land Transportation in 2016, collected the sum of N11million as kickback from a contractor for the award of contract for the registration of auto mechanic workshops, registration of auto spare parts dealers, registration of motorcycle/tricycle dealers and registration of color code certification for commercial transport operators.

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“The prosecution explained to the court how the convict had received money on different occasions sometimes N100,000, N500,000, N400,000, etc. to the tune of N11 million from one Oyabambi Stephen on behalf of Boyabam Services Global Limited in exchange for a contract.

“The court was also informed that the said action of the convict was in contravention of Sections 8 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same Act.”

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