ICPC arraigns ministry’s directors over N5m fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dragged a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Mohammed Musa Abimiku, to court for allegedly embezzling its N4.5 million.

Abimiku was charged by ICPC alongside an Assistant Director, Mr. Micah Paman who was the chairman of the Ministry’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), before Justice A. O. Adeniyi of FCT High Court 20, Apo, Abuja, on a 10-count charge bordering on using their offices to corruptly enrich themselves.

Counsel to ICPC, Ekoi Akponimisingha, told the court that their actions contravene Sections 16, 19, 25(1) (a) &(b),26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 311 and 312 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under the same laws.

The counts disclose that Abimiku as head of Special Duties of the Ministry received N5 million meant for the celebration of the World Anti-corruption Day in 2014, through his Diamond Bank account, and diverted N4.5 million out of the money to his personal use and in conspiracy with Mr. Paman, made false retirement claims. 

The two defendants were charged for conspiracy in counts 1 and 4. Part of count 1 reads; “That you Mohammed Musa Abimiku and Alexander Micah Paman; officers in the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja; in the month of April, 2016 in Abuja, conspired amongst yourselves to make false statements to the officers of ICPC.