NCDC Officer Accused Of Defrauding Job Seekers Arraigned In Court

One Solomon Ogodo, a Superintendent of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was on Thursday arraigned in court.

He was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations bordering on forgery, employment racketeering and fraud.

The Commission, in charge no: CR/503/2022, arrainged him before Honourable Justice M.S. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Jabi, Abuja.

In the file, the defendant was accused of defrauding unsuspecting job seekers to the tune of Twelve Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N12,200,000).

In the 5-count charge, the Commission told the Court that the accused person on different occasions hoodwinked members of the public into parting with different sums of money.

This was done under the guise of securing employment for them in the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS).

The Court was further informed of how Mr. Ogodo, with the intent to commit fraud, forged offers of provisional appointments for some applicants into the Nigeria Correctional Services.

According to ICPC, his actions are contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

It is also contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act. 

The actions further violate, and punishable under Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offence Act of 2006.

However, the defendant entered a not guilty plea when the charges were read for him, and the defense counsel, Mr. Osita Eze, thereafter moved a bail application on behalf of his client.

The bail application was not opposed by Mr. Mashkur Salisu, the ICPC counsel.

However, Mr. Salisu urged the court to impose stringent conditions that will compel the defendant to attend his trial, considering the fact that he only made himself available when he was declared wanted by the Commission.

The trial judge allowed the accused person to bail in the sum of N5m and two sureties in like sum who must be resident of FCT and civil servants not below grade level 12. 

The sureties were also ordered to swear an affidavit of means, failure of which the defendant would be remanded in ICPC custody and the matter was adjourned to the 16th of January 2023 for definite hearing.