ICPC hunts civil servant over N36.2 m fraud

Just days after the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, decried the rot in the nation’s civil service, the sad tale has again been brought to the fore with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, declaring a 36 year-old civil servant, Joseph Ogah, wanted for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government of N36.2 million.

This was made known in Abuja, Tuesday, by the Commissioner, Public Enlightenment and spokesperson of the commission, Rasheedat Okoduwa.

A statement signed by Mrs. Okoduwa indicated that the suspect, Mr. Ogah, is a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Based on its findings, the ICPC said Mr. Ogah, who is from Kogi state, is a member of a syndicate that fronted a company, Soft Alliance Disco Limited to pay salary arrears totaling N36, 194, 636.00 to a fictitious staff on the payment platform of the ministry of environment.

According to the ICPC, N9.4 million was paid into the suspect’s account with the United Bank for Africa, UBA, based on a financial statement obtained from the bank.

The statement of accounts further revealed that the money was drawn from the Ministry of Environment and paid into account number: 1006521816, belonging to Mr. Ogah.

“The commission, upon the findings requested Mr. Ogah to appear before it and answer questions regarding the transfer of money from another ministry into his account, but he failed to do so,” part of the statement reads.

“The permanent secretary of the ministry of agriculture was requested on several occasions through letters to compel him to appear before ICPC but responses to the letters show that Ogah has absconded from his duty post for over three months now.

“The ministry, in response to the allegation and his failure to report to work, has stopped the payment of his salary and other entitlements since July 2015.”

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