ICPC Docks PSC Director over N11.8m Fraud

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned the Director of Finance in the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Emmanuel Ibe, over alleged mismanagement of N11.75 million belonging to PSC.

Mr Ibe was arraigned by ICPC on a 9-count charge before Justice C.N. Oji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 21, Apo.

Counsel to ICPC, Mr Golden Iwuagwu, while pressing the charge against the Director averred that he fraudulently paid N11.75 million to some selected staff of PSC in March 2015, as airfare and airport taxi allowances to travel from Abuja to seven states within Nigeria on official duties even while there were no connecting flights from Abuja to any of those states.

He told the court that Mr Ibe allegedly facilitated the payment of the money to the said staff of PSC to travel from Abuja to Bauchi, Niger, Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nassarawa and the FCT, thereby contravening Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same section.

The charge sheet reads in part, “That you Emmanuel Ibe, in the month of March 2015, or thereabouts, at Abuja, being the Director of Finance of the Police Service Commission did use your office to confer corrupt advantage upon selected staff of the Police Service Commission by paying them the sum of N11,750,000 as return airfare and airport taxi fare for flights between Abuja and the FCT, Kogi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Plateau, Benue and Niger states when there are no commercial flights between Abuja and these states thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

Mr Ibe pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were read to him by the trial judge, Justice Oji.

His counsel, S. M. Nwosu, then asked the court to grant him bail on self-recognition, reiterating that the alleged offence was bailable.

Justice Oji in his ruling on the bail application admitted him to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a Director in the Public Service of the Federation.