Former FCTA Director Sentenced to 24 Years imprisonment for ₦318 Million Fraud
A former Director of Finance and Administration at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Garuba Mohammed Duku, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption and money laundering offenses. The case, which involved ₦318 million, was brought before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In the verdict delivered by Justice James Omotosho, Duku was found guilty on all six counts presented in the case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022. This ruling marks a significant development in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to combat corruption within public offices and institutions.
The conviction serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of financial misconduct in government positions and highlights the commitment of the Nigerian judicial system to address corruption cases.
The judge held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt through documentary evidence and witness testimonies.
Consequently, Duku was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts, to run concurrently.
He was, however, given an option of a fine equivalent to five times the amount stated in each count, totalling about ₦1.6 billion.
In a statement on Thursday, the ICPC said investigations revealed that between 2012 and 2013, Duku fraudulently diverted ₦318,250,000 belonging to the AMMC into his personal Fidelity Bank account.
The Commission added that the convict received multiple payments — ₦56.25 million, ₦71 million, ₦53 million, ₦54 million, ₦46 million, and ₦36.3 million — which he transferred to Bureau de Change operators and used for unauthorized purposes.
During the trial, the ICPC dismissed Duku’s defence that the funds were disbursed to his superiors, noting that he provided no evidence to support the claim.
The court, therefore, convicted and sentenced him accordingly, marking another milestone in ICPC’s ongoing efforts to combat corruption and financial crimes in public sector.
